Pulse
by sapphirebleuy
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki was studying psychology, searching for true meaning in people. Sasuke was studying photography, looking for ways to capture the beauty that eludes him. After a small encounter in the dark art room, Naruto finds himself intrigued by the pale enigma. Using a project to get to know him, he ends up learning more than he ever should, and falling for him along the way
1. Discovery

**A/N: Hi guys. This story's inspiration hit me, like really hard, and I really wanted to write it. So please tell me what you think. Critism and all.**

**I don't own Naruto.**

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Naruto openly stared. Standing nearly 20 feet away was Uchiha Sasuke, a fellow classmate and the love of nearly every girl and quite a few guys. Unlike them, Naruto didn't stare out of lust, but out of pure curiosity. The boy was stunning, that much he could admit. His black hair was tousled in the wind. He was tall, pale, and lean. His eyes were a deep, endless black. He donned a black pea coat over thin shoulders. His lower half was clad in tight black skinny jeans. He walked, hands tucked in his pocket to protect them from the cold. Naruto watched as he slowly disappeared into the crowd of students. Sighing, he turned away. He never much cared for Sasuke. His attitude just seemed too arrogant. His face was always emotionless. Of all people, he should be the last one judging Sasuke. Being a psychology major, he knew that there was more to a person than meets the eye, but that didn't make him feel any better.

"Naruto, hurry up!" Sakura shouted, excitedly. She pushed her long pink locks out of her face as the wind whipped furiously around them. Her thin, cream coat was barely enough to warm her up. Simple straight leg jeans were tucked into her hi-tops. She brushed her hair back and pulled the strays back into a ponytail. Her scarf whipped wildly around her.

"Ah, I'm coming." Naruto waved, nonchalantly. His gray combat jacket was left open, showing a simple light blue and gray plaid shirt. Plain stone wash jeans went down to the tops of his gray vans. His wild, blonde hair blew wildly as he moved. He smiled at his best friend as he walked to her side and wrapped a hand around her waist. He pulled her in for a quick peck on the cheek. Giggling, she pushed him away.

"Naruto you creep..." She muttered. Naruto responded by laughing and grabbing her hand as they walked towards the housing area.

"So, how was your exam? Did you have to perform open heart surgery or something?" Sakura frowned at his teasing tone.

"No you idiot. We had to do a written essay on brain chemistry. And you?"

Naruto shrugged. "It was pretty easy, we just tested on the psychoanalysis unit and then chilled for the rest of the time."

"Hmph. Your class sounds easy." Sakura teased.

"Hey, that class is hard work! It's freakin' confusing!" Sakura laughed as he huffed and crossed his arms. They had stopped in front of Sakura's dorm.

"'Kay, well I'll see you later then? Everyone wants to get together and hangout at the skate park." Naruto nodded as he began to leave.

"Yea, I'm just gonna go meet up with Sai for a bit. He wants me to go to the art wing and pick up his calligraphy set or whatever." Sakura snorted.

"Ah, the art wing. The room for all the poor, misunderstood souls." Naruto laughed and waved as he left.

It took him ten minutes to reach the art wing. Once he got in, he made his way to the secluded art room. All the lights were off, which gave the building a creepy feeling. One door read 'Dark Room', which he assumed was for developing photos. Paintings of people covered the walls, and a big picture with a girl holding a giant marquee pointed the way to the art room. As he got closer, faint sounds of music poured out of the room.

_**There is a Hell, believe me I've seen it.**_

_**There is a Heaven, let's keep it a secret.**_

_'Bring me the Horizon?_' He thought to himself. Slowly, he pushed the door open, and stepped in. The room was the size of three classrooms, covered in murals and photography. Some walls even had graffiti. Paint cans, brushes, and clay littered the counters. Canvases and tables covered the floor. As he stepped farther in, he saw an unfinished sculpture that resembled a man with a knife. In the middle of the chaos was someone bent over a canvas. Moving in closer, he recognized the guy painting.

_'Figures'_

Sasuke's coat was on the floor, long since forgotten. He wore a fitted Pink Floyd t-shirt, splotched in red and blue paint. His black jeans were covered in different shades of blue. Slowly, he drew the brush across the canvas, lips slightly parted in concentration. His foot tapped to the fast-pace of the song. Naruto watched for a moment, the quietly went to find Sai's stuff. After five minutes of looking, he frowned frustrated, and looked back. His eyes met with Sasuke's, who stared at him with a slight frown on his face. Naruto smiled nervously.

"Uhh, sorry, I was just, umm, looking for something." Sasuke looked at him for a few more seconds, then went back to painting. Naruto sighed and continued searching. He began to get annoyed. Seriously, how many paint brushes did they need? And what in the world was this, a weapon? Groaning, he moved the stuff, looking for anything that resembled a calligraphy set.

"What are you looking for?"

Naruto jumped, Sasuke's light voice scaring him. It was a weird mix of deep baritone, yet light and airy. He looked back again. Sasuke was still painting, his strokes slower.

"Just a calligraphy set. My friend left it here and wanted me to get it for him." A minute of silence passed between them as Sasuke looked up.

"Megumi's?" He asked. Megumi? It took Naruto a second to realize that that was Sai's last name.

"Yeah." Naruto nodded.

"It's right there." He motioned for the table a few feet behind him. Naruto nodded and walked quickly to the table, smiling when he found what he was looking for. Now that he was behind Sasuke, he could see what he was painting. It was a naked woman with long blue hair that covered her breasts. Her body was twisted like she was dancing. Her hand stretched out, as if she was reaching for something. Everything was painted in different shades of blue. Her eyes were painted in a shocking electric blue. Tears poured out of her eyes, but they were red; her eyes were bleeding. They looked sad and lost. Cracks marred the page to appear as a shattered mirror. Pieces of her body were missing where the mirror was broken. A big piece of glass was missing from where her heart would be. It was hauntingly beautiful. Naruto moved closer, compelled to get a better look.

"Wow..." He breathed. Sasuke looked back at him, watching his reaction curiously. Then, he turned back to it and wrote his signature at the bottom.

"Thanks." He said, shortly. Naruto blinked, and looked up at him. Sasuke had a smile, barely visible unless you were really looking. He smiled back.

"No problem. It's amazing, really. You major in art?"

"No, photography. I paint in my free time." Sasuke stood and stretched, his shirt riding up. Naruto caught sight of a tattoo on his hip bone. Sasuke walked over to the radio and hit next. The beginnings of Aerials filled the room.

"You listen to System?" He asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow. Sasuke shrugged.

"System of a Down's pretty good." Sasuke answered from the back of the room while he washed the brushes.

"Try the best thing since fuckin' ever. Well, thanks and see you around I guess." He turned and made his way to the door.

"Yeah." Sasuke answered, off handedly. Once Naruto left, he let a small smile play on his lips.

Naruto walked towards Sai's dorm as he thought over his conversation with Sasuke. Well, it was hardly a conversation but it was something. Sasuke didn't seem too bad-a little distant and aloof-but overall not bad. It was kind of nice actually. His art was beautiful. Naruto found himself curious about Sasuke's photography. What kind of pictures did he take? Huh, funny how he went from disliking Sasuke to being curious about him. Never judge a book by its cover; he knew that from the start. So he shouldn't be surprised that Sasuke was not exactly like he pictured. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he walked up the steps and knocked on Sai's door, smiling brightly at his longtime friend. Thoughts of Sasuke could wait 'til later.

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**A/N: Yea, so that's the first chapter, please review! :3**


	2. Beginnings

**A/N: So yea, this is chapter 2, tell me what you think**

**I don't own Naruto**

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"Ughhh!" The sounds of vomiting filled the empty dorm room. Sweat glistened over a pale forehead as he heaved, throwing up into the toilet. He laid back and rested his head against the tub, the coolness soothing. He threw his arm over his eyes and panted softly. His head was spinning and he felt sick. He felt awful. Disgusting. Horrific. Fat. Hideous. Quickly, he rushed back to the toilet for another round of vomiting.

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"Genetics, early environment, neurobiology, and psychological and social processes appear to be important contributory factors; some recreational and prescription drugs appear to cause or worsen symptoms. Current research is focused on the role of neurobiology, although no single isolated organic cause has been found. The many possible combinations of symptoms have triggered debate about whether the diagnosis represents a single disorder or a number of discrete syndromes. Despite the etymology of the term from the Greek roots skhizein-"

Naruto sighed and rested his head in his hands. Gahhh, he was tired of learning about schizophrenia today. He was dead tired. After hanging in Sai's room for a bit, they went to join the rest of his friends at the skate park. Needless to say, they stayed there pretty much all night. He only managed to get about 15 minutes of sleep before his alarm went off. Getting ready for school was complete hell. Thankfully, he had about 5 hours before his next class after this one, time he'd use to catch up on sleep. The bell rung and everyone began to collect their stuff.

"Hold on class, I want to talk about your next project." Professor Yamanaka walked to the board and began to clean it for his next lecture. "So far, we've learned about different personality types, disorders, and ways to analyze them. So now, I want you guys to analyze a test subject. Yes, that means I want you to analyze someone and use them as your report. Give me some information on their personality, or personalities if you will, and right it up in a lab-analysis format." Some people in the class groaned. "Ah, don't give me that! You guys should be excited! Trust me; research looks great in your dissertation. Now, get outta my class so I can prepare for the next one." Everyone began to file out. People were chatting about who to use. Some said they'd use each other. Naruto smiled, excited about catching up on some sleep.

"YO! NARUTO!"

...Well, there go his chances. Sighing, he turned to his loud friend. He still couldn't believe Kiba had actually gotten those tattoos on his face. They looked awesome, but it was still a bit much.

"Nwahh, not so loud! I have an extreme headache!" He complained. Kiba smirked.

"Yeah, yeah, we all do. But anyway, I'm heading out to the Avance, wanna tag along? Maybe you could get some sleep there." Naruto smiled happily and followed his friend.

The Avance. It was the most peaceful place in the school. It was the size of two football fields. Flowers and other plants covered the perimeter. Picnic tables and trees were set up for people to eat or study. Many people went there to play football or jog or even relax by the fountain that sat in the middle. It was like paradise.

They caught sight of Shikimaru lounging under a tree. From the looks of it, he was sleeping. Kiba went up to him and stood over him.

"Wake up, lazy ass!" He shouted. Shikimaru blinked, and opened his eyes. Looking up, he frowned.

"Get your nuts out of my face." He muttered and lay back down. Naruto and Kiba laughed and sat down on either side of Shikamaru.

"Ey Naruto, so Sakura told me you went to the art wing yesterday. Dude, how was it?" Kiba asked. Naruto blinked confused.

"Uhh. It was pretty awesome, I gotta say. The drawings were really cool. You make it sound like I went into a haunted house or something." He laughed. Kiba crinkled his nose.

"Nah, I just heard that those art majors get really bitchy about other people going in there and totally kick them out and other shit. Someone else said that it's like pitch black in there."

"Yea, it was creepy 'cuz the whole building was dark. I'm surprised I found Sai's stuff in there. I would've been in there all night if it wasn't for Sasuke helping me." Kiba looked surprised.

"Sasuke? As in Uchiha?" Naruto nodded.

"Yea?" He answered, unsure.

"That guys pretty...weird. I always thought he was mute until last semester, when I had him in class." He took his bag away from Naruto, who was attempting to steal his mountain dew. Naruto muttered and let him finish.

"But yea. He was all like,' Excuse me' and I jumped like 50 feet in the air! I felt like a complete douche afterward. But yea. He's pretty quiet and kind of creepy." Kiba smiled and gulped down his mountain dew. Naruto flicked him off and lay down.

"That's 'cuz you are a complete douche. And he's not creepy, maybe just shy. He seemed pretty cool last night." Kiba broke out into laughter, and Shikamaru couldn't help but laugh along. Naruto blushed angrily.

"Not like that you pervs! Shika, you're supposed to be the mature one here!" He pointed accusingly.

"Sorry, but you set yourself up for that one." Naruto huffed and turned away.

"Anyway, how'd you get classes with him? You're like, studying to be a vet and he's doing photography."

"Yea, but he's minoring in philosophy and it requires some science classes, which is complete BS 'cuz it has nothin' to do with it but whatever." He looked in his bag for more food to eat. He hadn't eaten since last night and he was starving! He could eat the freakin tree!

"Pftt! Hey, Sasuke, slow down!" They all looked over in time to see a white haired guy with purple eyes hunched over, trying to catch his breathe.

"Speak of the devil, and he shall appear." Kiba muttered, laughing. Naruto swatted his shoulder. Sasuke crouched down in front of the guy and snapped a picture. He stood back up to exam it. He wore a simple white v-neck and low rise black jeans. A Nikon camera was strapped around his neck, and a big duffle bag across his shoulder. In his hand was a thick folder.

"Hey what did you take that picture for?" The guy complained. Sasuke continued to exam the picture.

"For my album: The Idiot Times of Suigetsu. Now come on, you seriously can't be that tired, we've been walking for all of five minutes." With that, he turned and continued on his way.

"Gahh, bastard." Suigetsu muttered standing and following Sasuke. Naruto chuckled a little at the scene.

"Hey, are you going to Gaara's later?" Naruto asked, nudging Kiba. Kiba grimaced.

"Dude, how do you hang out with that guy? He's freakin creepy."

"Gaara's not bad! He's pretty awesome ya' know."

"Uhh, no I don't know. That guy's crazy and the only reason he hasn't killed you yet is because he's totally got it for you." Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"You know it's not like that with me and Gaara." Kiba ignored him, continuing to ramble.

"I mean I accepted the fact that you're gay and all, but I'm not gonna let any guy just have you, especially some raging psycho who-"

"Kiba! Im not gay!"

"Okay, bi."

"Kiba!" Naruto whined.

"Dude, I'm not going into the philosophical hippie way you used to define your sexuality."

"Or lack thereof" Shikamaru added.

When asked what his sexual preferences, Naruto would easily say that sexuality was too strong of a word to describe it. I guess one could say bisexual, but to him it was more than that. He believed that love couldn't be restricted by gender, race, or even species (which earned him weeks of beastiality jokes). Whatever he felt love for; he would love it despite any restrictions.

"Haahaa sorry man." Kiba laughed. "But look, you just be careful alright? That guy gives me weird vibes. Now, I have somewhere to be, so see you later." He got up and walked towards his dorm, most likely going to flirt with innocent little Hinata. Naruto smiled. Now that Kiba was gone, he could ask Shikamaru something important. When Professor Yamanaka gave them their project, one person popped into his mind.

"Hey, uh, Shika?" He asked nervously. Shikamaru opened one eye and looked at him.

"Hmmm?"

"Okay, you know the assignment Professor Yamanaka gave us?"

"The one where we have to analyze someone?"

"Yep, that one. Well you see, when he brought it up, I kind of had an idea of who I wanted to use." Shikamaru studied him for a second than closed his eyes.

"And who did you want to use?"

"...Sasuke..." Naruto mumbled. It was quiet for a few minutes, until Shikamaru's sigh broke the silence.

"Naruto, you're an idiot." He said simply. Naruto frowned.

"But Shika, he's perfect for it! No one knows anything about him, he's like a complete mystery. Every time I see him, I always think of him as the popular rich boy who thinks they're too good to associate with anyone. But then that's too cliché right? Like, no one's...personality or story can be that shallow. There's gotta be more to it than that. And even before I spoke to him in the art wing, I knew I was judging without really knowing anything. When I saw his painting, it had so much emotion in it...like it was from experience. It was beautiful Shika." Shikamaru was looking at him, waiting for him to finish. "Anyway, it's like, I don't know, he's so interesting to me. And like Kiba, I feel kinda bad for just assuming, you know?" He smiled nervously, waiting for his friends answer.

"Troublesome. Do what you want; I guess that would prove interesting. But it could prove detrimental. What if his personality is as shallow as you first believed?" Naruto snorted.

"Come on Shika, I know you. Honestly, you can't believe that that's all there is to him, right?." Shikimaru sighed and closed his eyes.

"Whatever." Naruto smiled and stood up.

"Well, he's alone now, so I guess now would be the best time to do it, before anyone else does. Pray for me, Shika."

"Should I do seven Hail Mary's?" He asked, teasingly. Naruto laughed.

"Pray to God, Buddha, Allah, I don't care. I need'em all right now if I'm really gonna get him to agree with this."

Naruto walked in Sasuke's direction. His nerves were telling him to just turn back. But he couldn't. Analyzing Sasuke would get him an A+ or higher. It'd be so great; they'd just give him his degree and tell him to skip the rest of his 2 years. Yea, that should motivate him. Sasuke was siting, cross legged in the grass, drawing something. Black ear buds hung from his ears, as he tapped one hand slowly to the beat. His camera still around his neck, brushing the paper every so often. Naruto gulped and stood in front of him, his shadow covering the paper. Sasuke stopped drawing, reaching down to press pause on his iPod. Slowly, he lifted his head, frowning. Naruto smiled nervously and waved. Sasuke looked at him for a moment, and then went back to drawing. Naruto took this as an okay for him to sit down. So, he crossed his legs and sat in front of Sasuke, watching him draw. This time, it was a man crouched down on the ground, cuddling a small child to his chest. His long black hair curtained around them both. The little boy had a large, innocent smile on his face. The man was also smiling, but it looked oddly forced. His eyes were looking over at something; a shadow. It was a shadow of a boy with a knife. Liquid ran down his arms. Naruto could only assume it was blood. But the shadow was crying, and it was reaching out towards the ends of the page. That part of the page was smudged in black and crinkled. As if it was set on fire. Naruto thought the picture was very...disturbing.

"Hey," He started, trying to get the conversation going.

"Hey." Sasuke, answered, not looking up from the page. Naruto clicked his tongue and kept talking.

"That's really good, and kind of disturbing." He watched as Sasuke's hands moved across the page, shading it.

"Hn." He grunted, acknowledging that he heard him. Naruto leaned in closer to watch him. Sasuke stopped abruptly.

"Ah, um, sorry? Am I blocking the light?" He smiled and moved back a little. Sasuke studied him for a bit. Finally, he spoke.

"What do you want?" Naruto blinked. So straight forward. Geez.

"Whoa, can't a guy have a civil conversation with a friend?" he asked, feigning innocence. By the look on Sasuke's face, it wasn't working.

"One short conversation in the art wing doesn't exactly make us friends. So, what do you want?" Naruto sighed.

"Well fine, geez. I'll get to the point then. You see, I'm a psychology major-"

"Get to the point, I asked what you wanted, not your life story." Naruto blinked and gaped when Sasuke cut him off. Then, he doubled over in laughter. He was laughing so hard, tears were coming out. Sasuke snorted and went back to drawing, waiting for Naruto to calm down. After about two minutes, his laughter died down. He was gasping for air and holding his stomach.

"Ah...haaahaa, oh Sasuke! You're hilarious! haaahaa!" Naruto couldn't help it, really. Sasuke's anger and straight forward attitude was all too amusing. He finally stopped. "God, I was trying to get to the point. Anyway, before I was interrupted, I'm a psychology major, and for our psych project, we pretty much have to analyze someone and I guess diagnose them? I don't know really what exactly is supposed to be done, professor'll probably explain it next class. But yea. So I was wondering if you would, um, be my...test subject?" That sounded terrible, even to Naruto. Test subject, really? Sasuke narrowed his eyes, closing his pad and glaring at Naruto. Naruto swallowed nervously.

"Let me get this straight. You want to exam and diagnose me like some fucking psycho?" He asked through gritted teeth. Naruto waved his hands.

"No, no no no no! It's nothing liked that! It's, I don't know, I just really want you to be the person I use for my project. It's something about you. No, I don't think of you as some whack job or any of that, it's just..." He leaned in, smiling softly. "You interest me, Uchiha."

Sasuke sighed and relaxed. A slow smirk worked its way on his lips.

"Should I be flattered?" He teased. Naruto's smiled stretched as he released a breathe he didn't even know he was holding. This was just too perfect.

"Hmm, you should be." He tugged at Sasuke's pant leg. Sasuke cocked his head to the side.

"Well then, I have a proposition for you." Naruto rose an eyebrow, still playing with Sasuke's pant leg.

"No sexual favors, I hope?"

"Hn, you wish. I have a project as well. I have to put together a portfolio. It has to be pictures of a theme that we've each been given individually. My theme is beauty, and well, you're beautiful." Naruto's face heated up. Sasuke's face was as straight as if he was talking about the weather.

"W-w-what..you-I-I.." Sasuke smirked.

"I don't mean it personally like you think. I mean as far as societies preconceived notion of beauty goes. Blue eyes, blonde hair, tan skin. You know, if you were alive during world war two, you'd be Hitler's favorite, you Nazi." Sasuke laughed softly at Naruto's expression.

"Well, um, that's...comforting? I've only had two conversations with you, and I already know enough to write a good page or two."

"Oh? And what is it that you know?" Sasuke asked, crossing his arms.

"That you're a lot weirder than people would think. And you, surprisingly enough, have a sense of humor...and a soul."

"Bitch." Naruto laughed and stood up.

"Well, how are we going to do this, then? I guess the best way to get to know someone is by hanging out with them. Maybe we could hang tomorrow?" Sasuke nodded.

"Sure. I'll most likely be in the art room. If not, well then wait until you see me around the Avance." Naruto pouted.

"How am I supposed to contact you? Maybe you should give me your number."

"Nope."

"What? Why not?" Sasuke laughed.

"Because, I don't even know your name. I don't give my number out to strangers." Naruto blinked. He never did tell him his name, did he?

"Oh, sorry. It's Naruto! Uzumaki Naruto! And I'm offended that you didn't know my name, but I knew yours." He feigned hurt. Sasuke snorted.

"Well if you're offended I should be creeped out that a total stranger knows my name." Naruto stuck his tongue out at him. Sasuke walked up to him and scribbled down his number in pen on Naruto's arm. Naruto looked at it, then smiled.

"Okay, see ya later Sasuke!" He waved enthusiastically and ran towards his dorm.

"Yea yea, don't call me for anything stupid!" He called after him. Once he was out of sight, he pressed play and continued to listen to his iPod. Closing his eyes, he finished drawing the picture of a memory, a memory he could never forget.

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**A/N: This story just writes itself, I swear. Tell me what you think. Hit that review button! Thanks for reading**


	3. Log Entry 1

**A/N: Yea, so this is chapter 3. Thanks for the reviews, they really make me smile and giddy like an idiot :D Tell me what you think**

**I don't own Naruto**

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Humming to himself, Naruto walked along the path to the art wing with a bounce in his step. Today was gonna be a good day. He was supposed to hang out with Sasuke today. Once he was in the art wing, he quickly made his way down the memorized path to the art room. Peeking in, he saw a few people hanging out in there. Some were sitting on top of the desks, chatting with friends. A red haired girl was working on the sculpture he saw yesterday. A crowd of people around a canvas caught his attention.

"That guy...his paintings are amazing! He should've been an art major." Someone complained. People nodded in agreement. They were crowded around Sasuke's painting. Naruto made his way over to them. Tentatively, he tapped the girl who had been in the front's shoulder. She turned back surprised and smiled.

"Hey, I've never seen you here before, what's up?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Yea, I'm not exactly and art major. But I was wondering have any of you guys seen Sasuke? He told me he'd be in here." He smiled and scratched his head. The girl stood and looked him up and down.

"Nah, He hasn't been here today. Why, you guys friends?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. Naruto wasn't sure how to answer that question. Were they friends?

"Ehh, something like that…" He trailed off.

"Well if you find him, tell him this picture kicks ass." She went back to observing the picture. Naruto nodded and made his way out of the room. When he finally made it outside, he let out a long sigh. He'd been hoping to find Sasuke in the art room. When he got home the night before, he took a shower and accidentally washed off Sasuke's number without putting it in his phone. Now he had no way to contact him. His only hope was to find him in the Avance. He passed a lot of people, waving and greeting them. After ten minutes of searching, he gave up. Deciding on a nice, secluded area, he laid down and closed his eyes. Maybe he could take a nap and try the art room again? Or he could go and chill with Kiba and try again tomorrow. They'd probably end up getting drunk off their asses and arguing like idiots. He laughed softly at that.

_Click_

Naruto's eyes snapped open. The lense of a camera was in his face. Sasuke was leaning over him. He stood up to exam the picture. His red Woodstock shirt was covered in different colors of paint. A pair of gray harem pants hung low on his hips, revealing the tattoo that Naruto saw back in the art room.

"Hey." He said, still looking at the picture. Naruto sat up and stretched.

"Jerk. I was looking for you forever! Where were you?" He pouted and crossed his arms. Sasuke snorted.

"Around. You should've just called."

"Oh yea. I kinda washed your number off in the shower. My bad." Naruto laughed sheepishly and patted the spot next to him. Sasuke sat down next to him, crossing his legs. His pants puffed up as he sat down. Naruto pulled at the leg.

"Dem pants..." He joked.

"Dat face." Sasuke countered. Naruto laughed.

"Har har, you're cool. But seriously, these pants are pretty cool. They look like something outta Mortal Combat." He patted the middle of them down.

"Thanks. I got them a long time ago. I never really found a good time to wear them." He yawned and rested his head on his hand. Naruto smiled and batted his eyes.

"Well shucks you decided to get gussied up for little ole me? Well I'm just flattered." He spoke in an exaggerated southern accent. Sasuke laughed.

"Idiot, don't flatter yourself. I had a presentation today. I wanted to look partly presentable." Sasuke reached into his messenger bag and pulled out his sketch pad and a pencil. He flipped to a fresh page.

"By the way, what does your tattoo say?" Naruto pointed at Sasuke's hip.

"Yami to Hikari. It means darkness to light."

"Huh, I never would've taken you as someone who had tattoos. Got anymore?" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Based off your own preconceived notion of me? And yes, I do, but what they are isn't much of your buisiness." Sasuke began to draw a circle on the page. Naruto put up a hand.

"Down boy. Sorry, I just kind of assumed. And how rude. I didn't wanna see them anyway." He huffed. "By the way, some people were practically foaming at the mouth over your painting. Some red head girl said it was kick ass. Though that's not the best way to describe it." He laughed at Sasuke's expression. He looked irritated.

"Yeah, those art majors have been trying to convert me since the beginning of the year. I'm not interested though" He continued drawing, adding definition to the face. Naruto leaned over to get a better look. So far, it was just a face and some circles.

"So. When are you gonna start getting pictures for your project or whatever?" Naruto asked, leaning back against the tree. Sasuke put down the pad and reached up to grab his camera. He turned it on, then turned it to Naruto.

"I already got my first picture, remember?" It was a picture of Naruto with his eyes closed; when Sasuke first arrived at the spot they were sitting in.

"Gah! That's a horrible picture of me! I'm smiling like an idiot!" Naruto whined. Sasuke smiled and shook his bangs out of his face.

"It's a stunning photo, actually. The shading looks perfect, and the way you're smiling looks like you're having a good dream. Very peaceful." Naruto wasn't quite sure how to reply to that. So he chose to stay silent as Sasuke studied it more. "You're very photogenic. Almost infuriatingly so." Naruto rose an eyebrow at that.

"What, does it make you angry that I take good pictures?"

"No, not me. Do you know how many internet camera whores would die to take such great pictures so naturally?" Naruto let out a loud laugh.

"Ah, Sasuke, your flattery is killing me. You know, you're pretty photogenic yourself." Sasuke crinkled his nose. "What, you don't think so? I mean, you gotta know that everyone around here wants to get in your pants right?"

"Yourself included, I presume? And yeah, I can tell. But I don't see why. I'm not all that. If I was viewing myself threw someone else's eyes, I'd say I'm pretty average, if that."

"Don't flatter yourself, I find you interesting, I'm not that interested in getting into those weirdo mortal combat pants." He laughed and poked Sasuke's leg. "And geez, such low self-esteem. But hey, it's always been like that you know? The pretty ones think they're hideous, and the ugly ones think they're the sexiest thing this side of the world."

"Idiot, I'm not pretty. Guys can't be pretty."

"Well you can be if I say so. Which you are, by the way. What are you gonna do about it?" Naruto teased.

"Kill you. Mutilate you and scatter your body across the forest. Possibly burn the pieces. And I can make it look like an accident." Naruto was about to laugh, until he saw Sasuke's expression. He looked pretty serious.

"Uhhhh..."

"I'm kidding. Idiot." Sasuke smirked and snapped another picture. Naruto pouted.

"Bastard. You can't say stuff like that with a straight face. I'm not used to your weird sense of humor yet." He muttered.

"In due time. As much as this has been, I have to get to class soon." He stood up and dusted off his pants.

"Yea me too. I have a test next hour. That test is gonna kick my ass." Naruto whined and stood up. They walked together out of the Avance and to the main grounds. Students rushed pass, trying to make it to their respective classes on time. The clacking of heels resounded off of the stone path as girls walked and chatted. Naruto and Sasuke stopped and looked at each other. Their classes were in opposite directions.

"Give me your number. I'll text you mine." Sasuke said, shortly. Naruto smiled and used the pen in Sasuke's hand to write it on the back of Sasuke's sketch pad. Sasuke nodded and turned away, walking toward the art wing.

"Later!" Naruto called after him. Sasuke threw up his hand and waved, not bothering to turn around. Naruto smiled and watched him walk away.

"Dude, since when have you guys been all buddy-buddy?" Naruto jumped at the voice behind him. It was Kiba and Ino.

"Oh hey guys. Uh, we were just hangin' out. I'm on my way to class now." They started to walk together, since their classes were the same direction. Ino smiled brightly.

"Naruto, you should try to put in a good word for me, ne? Sasuke's so hot, I swear it should be illegal." She sighed, dreamily.

"Pfft. He's not all that. I look better than that guy!" Kiba complained, smirking. Ino rolled her eyes.

"Yea, okay. But anyway, Naruto, you're coming to that party at Sakura's tomorrow night, right?"

"Yep. Hopefully I'm not loaded with a lot of homework. Psychology homework is bitch."

"Forget homework man! It's all about gettin' drunk, partyin' all night, and wakin' up with a major hangover to commemorate the night!" Kiba smiled. Naruto laughed.

"Commemorate? Huh, four whole syllables. I'm surprised Kiba." Ino teased. Kiba growled at her. Naruto laughed.

"Alright, see you guys later, I really gotta get to class." He walked away from his two argueing friends.

The classroom was pretty empty, since there was about ten minutes left until class started. Naruto plopped down and pulled out his notebook. Flipping to the first page, he wrote his name and titled it.

_Naruto Uzumaki._

_Analysis._

_Log #1_

_Subject: Sasuke Uchiha _

_Notes: So far he seems pretty normal. Well, as far as normal goes. He is different than what I first thought, and anyone else for that matter. He's a photography major, and minors in philosophy. He paints and draws in his free time. His art holds a lot of emotion. It's beautiful and oddly disturbing. I'm curious to see if he's drawing from experience or just what comes to mind. He has an odd sense of humor. You could call it dry humor. He's pretty witty, slightly sarcastic. Very straight forward and blunt. He has some low self-esteem, though that's pretty normal for a person. Maybe it's something more, but I can't look too much deeper until I speak with him more. He's pretty introverted. For now, that's all I can say. I'm looking forward to speaking with him again._

"Good afternoon class. I hope you've come ready to learn. Today, we'll be discussing serotonin and its effects on us psychologically."

Naruto sighed and closed his notebook, listening to their professor. Today was gonna be a long day.

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**Please Review! :3**


	4. Behavior Analysis

A/N: Not quiet sure about this chapter. But anyway, thanks so much for all the reviews, I really appreciate them al! They make me want to update faster! Though I need to work on this story's pacing o.0 pretty soon, I won't be able to update for possibly two weeks. But i'll try. Anyway, tell me what you think, please review.

I don't own Naruto.

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_September 5, 2012 8:35 a.m. Battery: 88% full_

_"Hi, my name's Naruto, and this is Jackass."_

_"Idiot, what the hell are you doing?"_

Naruto brought the camera down and looked at Sasuke, a sheepish grin on his face.

"Sorry, I just always wanted to say that."

"Tch. Whatever. Look let's just get this over with, okay? You should be glad I agreed to do this...whatever _this _is." Sasuke waved his head toward the camera, annoyed. Naruto began to adjust the small screen, and set it up in a way that it could capture both of them.

"I already explained this to you," he paused, checking the battery life, "Part of the project includes a video recorded...interview I guess? Something like that. I have to record myself questioning and interacting with my test subject." Sasuke scowled at that word. "Fine, I guess I should say research partner. Anyway, the professor added this on just 'cuz he said it'll give us more experience and we can actually record natural reactions. Like how some ones face twitches when you ask a certain question. Fidgeting, smiling, growling, stuff you can't see on paper. So yea, this is important so don't mess up." He smiled, satisfied with the camera angle, then sat down across front Sasuke.

They sat under a tree at the far end of the Avance. Sasuke had his legs crossed, arms resting on his elbows. Naruto rested his arms behind him and cleared his throat. He turned to the camera.

"Hello, this is Naruto Uzumaki. Today I am recording a live analysis of subject Sasuke Uchiha. Age, 19. Sex, yet to be confirmed. Major, photography. Race, Korean and Armenian, which is a very interesting mix. He has ever so gratefully agreed to cooperate in my study. Say hi, Sasuke!" Sasuke lifted a hand and waved. "Now, let's get started." Naruto turned back to Sasuke and crossed his arms.

"So, Sasuke, tell me, how would you describe yourself, as far as personality goes?" Sasuke frowned. he promised to Naruto that he'd be one hundred percent honest, so long as Naruto wouldn't get too personal. Sighing, he answered.

"I guess I'm pretty normal. I can admit that I'm not what one would consider a social butterfly. Not particularly narcissistic, though I'm very self-aware." He finished, watching Naruto's face. He was smiling.

"Thanks for being honest. I really didn't expect you to actually answer like that." Naruto said sincerely. For a moment, he forgot they were recording. Sasuke scoffed, turning away.

"Idiot. I told you I'd be honest. Now hurry up, I don't have all day." Naruto nodded apologetically.

"Ah, okay. Um, my next question is about your major. What made you want to take up photography?" Naruto saw Sasuke stiffen for a moment, and then relax. Interesting. Hopefully the camera got that. Sasuke looked down, contemplatively. As if he was trying to decide how to answer that question. Should he be honest? Naruto leaned in, waited for his answer.

"I've always been interested in capturing everything. Beauty, anger, sadness…you can see it every day, and capture it with your memory. But eventually memories fade. Pictures are forever. But I guess the thing that inspires me most was my mother. She really loved photography."

"Loved?" Naruto asked, softly.

"Yes, loved." Sasuke answered shortly, leaving no room for questions. Naruto could only assume that she either decided she didn't want to do it anymore...or died. Clearing his throat, he nodded and stood up, to turn off the camera. He put it inside of his book bag, then turned back to Sasuke.

"Well, that's good enough for today I guess. I'm gonna do a few more maybe in the next few weeks." Sasuke nodded. Naruto yawned and stretched, still pretty tired.

_Click_

"Dude! You've gotta stop getting those random photos!" Naruto whined. Sasuke smirked and put his camera down. A comfortable silence settled over them, as Sasuke drew and Naruto relaxed. Even though they've had all of three conversations, they were comfortable with each other like they were longtime friends. A loud vibration broke the silence. Sasuke reached into his bag and pulled out his phone.

"Yes?" He answered, shortly. Suddenly, his faced softened." Ah, hey I didn't know it was you, I didn't even look at the caller id." A pause. He laughed softly. "Yea, you're here? I could visit home for a while to see you." Another pause. This time, he huffed. "Yes, of course I've missed you too. But I'll speak to you later, I have to get going. Alright...bye." He brought the phone down and closed it.

Naruto schooled his expression, trying to appear uninterested. On the inside, the curiosity was _killing_ him. Who was that on the phone, his girlfriend? He wanted to ask, but he didn't want to seem nosey. Should he ask?

...Fuck it, he was gonna ask. He opened his mouth to ask when Sasuke laughed.

"Stop thinking so hard, idiot, you'll give yourself an aneurysm. That was my brother. He just flew in from Sydney." Naruto smiled a little, oddly relieved at the answer.

"That's pretty far. How come you didn't tell me you have a brother?"

"You didn't ask."

"But Sasuke!" Naruto whined. "Stuff like that is important! Like, it makes some things make more since, you know? If I find something interesting about you, I could always say it's a brother complex or something." Sasuke rose an eyebrow.

"Whatever. Same thing tomorrow?" Naruto smiled.

"Yea, same thing tomorrow."

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"Tonight...we're gettin' fucked up!" Kiba shouted. Everyone laughed and cheered, passing around drinks. The music blared through the stereo as the group of friends sat crowded in Sakura's living room. They laughed and talked about random things, most of them too buzzed to even care what. Naruto leaned back on the couch. Sakura crawled next to him, cuddling to his side.

"Hey."

"Hey. What's up?" She asked, happily. Naruto took another sip of his drink and smiled.

"Eh, nothin. Cool party. The hangovers tomorrow are gonna _suck_. But oh well, were all gonna skip class anyway." Sakura nodded and grabbed his drink, stealing some."Hey!" He reached out for it, but she held it up higher.

"Man, you've gotta drink some of that vodka that Kiba brought. It'll take about twenty of these wine coolers to get you drunk." Naruto laughed and stood up, choosing to go get drunk and have some fun. The music thumped loudly as people began to dance, the alcohol setting in. Naruto slid into the crowd of bodies to get to the cooler. Finding what he was looking for, he opened the bottle and took a shot. He shook his head. This was gonna be a long night

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"Huhh...huhh...hhuhh" Slowly, his breathing began to even out. He grimaced. His clothes were wet, soaked in his sweat. He stood slowly, trying to catch his balance. Everything was spinning. He peeled off his shirt and threw it to the side. The sight that welcomed him made him sick. Ghastly pale skin. Protruding ribs. Dark bruises. Cuts across his stomach. He looked awful. Earlier, he'd been contemplating on calling his father to let him know that he'd be visiting soon.

'Look where that got me' He thought bitterly.

Two hours, and a anxiety attack later, he was a mess. And he'd yet to call his father. He made his way to his room and sat on his bed. Should he call him? Should he even waste his time visiting him? He could always tell his brother to just meet him at his dorm. He sighed and closed his eyes. It wasn't like him and his father didn't get along, it was just...hard. As a child, he had an amazing relationship with him. He was the best father anyone could ever ask for. But ever since 7 years ago, when his mother died, their relationship became strained. His father tried to be there for him, but he knew how hard it was for him. Ever since he overheard a conversation

_He was walking down the hallway of his home, looking for his father to tell him about his report card. He'd gotten straight a's! As he approached his father's study, he heard hushed voices speaking. He peaked in through the cracks. His father sat, his head in his hands. Another man stood across from him, arms crossed and a sad look on his face._

_"I'm trying, really. It's just so hard. He looks so much like her. His smile is hers too. I'm trying my best, but every time I look at him, my heart hurts. I miss her so much..." His voice trailed off._

_Sasuke stepped back, tears pouring down his face. There was no doubt that his father was talking about him. When he was younger, his father would always tell him how much he resembled his mother. It hurt to know that he was causing his father so much pain._

Since then, Sasuke never really made an effort to amend their relationship. As if noticing Sasuke's choice to stop trying, his father stopped trying as well. Who was he kidding? He always knew that Sasuke was a smart boy and would catch on pretty quickly.

Sasuke opened his eyes and picked up his phone. He began to dial the number, each button feeling like a heavy weight on his shoulders. He put the phone to his ear and waited.

"Hello, Uchiha Fugaku speaking." His father answered, formally. He must not have read the caller id. Either that or he didn't even bother to save Sasuke's number.

"Father." He heard his father stop moving, holding his breathe. After what felt like forever, he let out a breathe.

"Sasuke. How are you?" The concern in his voice sounded so fake, Sasuke felt sick.

"I'm fine. I was just calling to let you know that...I'll be home soon to visit." Silence. Another five minutes passed before Fugaku answered.

"That's...good. I've been worried about you. Why are you coming to visit?" He asked, trying to hide his reluctance.

"Itachi flew in from Sydney. He's gonna be there."

"He can't just visit you at your dorm? I mean-" He stopped. Sasuke sighed. He wished his father would just tell him that he didn't want him there. That it hurt to see him. Trust him, hurting his father was the last thing he wanted to do. It would be so much easier, for the both of them.

"Well, I thought the same thing but he doesn't want to drive all the way here."

"Ah, that...makes sense."

"Alright. I'll see you soon then?" He ran his hands through his hair and started, hopeful," I love you, father." It was quiet for a bit.

"See you soon, Sasuke." Then, the line disconnected. Sasuke sat, staring at his hands. He crushed his phone in a death grip and threw it at his wall with a frustrated growl. It smashed into little pieces on the floor. He stood up and went to the bathroom, placing his hands on either side of the sink. He looked in the mirror and saw tears rolling down his face. He pulled his arm back punched the mirror with all his strength, watching it shatter around him. He brought his hand to his face to examine the damage. It was covered in blood. He felt his breathing hitch and quicken. Sitting down next to the tub, he brought his head in between his knees, trying to stop himself from hyperventilating. Two anxiety attacks in one day was the last thing he needed.

As he breathing evened out and tears fell onto the tiled floor, he couldn't he but think of how pathetic he was.

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**A/N: Tell me what you think. Please review! Thanks for reading! :3**


	5. Log Entry 2

**A/N: I've finally got this one done! Gahhh! I'm extremely happy :3 I really hope you guys like this. I tried to develp Naruto and Sasuke's relationship more and make Naruto more aware of Sasuke's...problems. Thanks for reading.**

**I don't own Naruto.**

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"Mannnnnnn..." Kiba drawled, sleepily. Naruto reached over and turned off his phone alarm. He was sprawled across Sakura's kitchen floor with the worst hangover _ever._ And he had ten minutes to get to class. Was it worth it? Nahhh, he'd just go home and crash. Yawning, he pulled himself up from the floor and grabbed his jacket.

"Ugghhh, the light...it burns!" He whined, as he opened the door. His head was pounding like crazy. He made his way down stairs and outside. People were rushing to their classes. That made him feel slightly guilty for skipping. Not guilty enough to still go though. His stomach growled loudly. Guess it was time to eat, but where could he go? Suddenly, he got an idea. Smiling widely, he pulled out his phone and scanned his contacts. Once he found the one he was looking for, he hit send. He waited for three rings until the person picked up.

"Yes?"

"Aye girl."

"Idiot, what do you want? I have a class in five minutes." Naruto laughed at the irritation in Sasuke's voice.

"Me-owwww! Put your claws back in, kitten, I was just calling to see if you wanted to come with me to grab a bite to eat. Sheesh."

"Oh sure, I don't have a class in five minutes or anything." Sasuke answered sarcastically.

"Aw, come on, it's just one class, it won't hurt. I'm hung over and _starving_" He waited until he heard a sigh on the other line.

"Fine. But you're paying."

"No problem. Okay, so there's this cafe near the Medicine Major wing called Green Leaf, just uhh, meet me there 'kay? And can you bring some Tylenol or something, my heads gonna _explode_"

"Whatever." The line disconnected after that. Naruto sighed and smiled. He was surprised that Sasuke actually agreed. Somehow, he was enjoying the time he spent with Sasuke more and more. He was a cool guy and extremely fun to talk to. Plus, Naruto was really comfortable around him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and made his way to the cafe. It was a small, nice cafe with an upbeat urban feel. The whole place was glass, bright light pouring in. A few students lingered around, studying or just relaxing and eating. Naruto decided not to wait on Sasuke and just order. Since there was no line, he walked right up to the line. A cute girl wearing a tank top and skinny jeans smiled up at him. Her blue hair was tied up in a bun. Naruto smiled back and read her name tag; _Konan_.

"Hi, welcome to the Green Leaf, what can I get for you today?"

"Um...can I have the BLT wrap, two of those actually, and the biggest freakin' coffee with as much caffeine humanly possible." Konan laughed.

"Is that all for you today?" Naruto thought for a moment. What would Sasuke want?

"Well, maybe a chicken salad? That seems like something Sasuke would eat..." Naruto muttered the last part to himself. Konan rose a brow.

"Sasuke? Uchiha?" Naruto nodded. "Whoa, that guys actually getting out and doing something. I swear, he's either in his dorm, in class, or the art room. Sexy anti-social guy he is." Naruto laughed.

"Yea that's him. I guess I'll get the chicken salad then."

"Alright, your total is 18.75." Naruto gave her his twenty and she gave him back his change and the receipt. On the bottom was a number and a heart next to it.

"Umm...thanks." Naruto smiled, blushing. Konan smiled back.

"No problem cutie, just tell me you aren't gay?" She asked, almost pleadingly. Naruto decided to just answer simply.

"Nah, well I actually kinda go both ways. Best of both worlds, you know?" Konan laughed. She turned back and grabbed a tray with his stuff on it.

"Here you go. The barista put three shots of caffeine in it for you. Please, enjoy, and call me, yea?" Naruto turned and smiled at the barista, in a way of thanks.

"Sure thing. Thanks. Oh and it's Naruto by the way." He smiled and left to find an empty table. He chose one in a nice secluded corner. In five minutes, he pretty much demolished his food and drank half of his coffee. His headache was a lot better, but it was still there. The dinging of the bell sounded, signaling a new customer. Naruto looked up to see Sasuke stepping in. He wore a grey v neck shirt and damaged black skinny jeans. A camera hung from his neck. But what really caught Naruto's attention was his hair. His bangs were pinned back out of his face, making him look almost like he was fourteen. Naruto snickered. It looked really...cute. Sasuke spotted Naruto immediately and sauntered over to the table. He slid in to the chair across from him and set his canvas bag on the floor.

"It's sad how easily I was able to spot you in here."

"Hmm, was it my sexiness that gave me away?" Naruto wiggled his eyebrows.

"More like your bright-ass hair." Sasuke looked down at the tray. "Oh joy, you've already ordered for me." He drawled sarcastically. Naruto pouted.

"You know, your bitchiness is taking away from the overall cute affect."

"Cute affect?"

Naruto leaned over and grabbed a stray piece of hair. "Yea, that clip in your hair is _adorable_" He teased. Sasuke frowned.

"Shut up. I was taking pictures for a side project and was busy developing them. My hair was in the way." Sasuke slapped his hand away. "You're way too touchy feely for your own good. I could call rape and make it believable." Naruto pouted and sat back.

"Bahh, you're no fun. Hey, are you gonna eat that?" He pointed at the salad on his tray.

"I'm not particularly hungry, knock yourself out." Sasuke reached down in his bag and pulled out a bottle of water and some Tylenol. "Here." Naruto grinned and grabbed the stuff out of Sasuke's hand.

"Ah hell yea, thanks!" He took three and chugged down half the bottle. Then he dug in to the salad. He wasn't really a salad kinda guy, but even he had to admit that this was pretty good. "Hey, you should try this!" He offered some to Sasuke. Sasuke scowled.

"No thanks, I'd prefer not eating off your fork. Besides, I'm not hungry."

"What, are you some germaphobe? And it's just a taste, Mr. Anorexic." He teased. He saw Sasuke stiffen.

"Shut the fuck up." He said shortly. Naruto blinked.

"Whoa, sorry man, I was just kidding, geez."

"Whatever." That sat quietly for five minutes until Naruto couldn't take it.

"So, Sasuke, tell me about yourself." Sasuke rose an eyebrow.

"What is this, speed dating?" Naruto laughed.

"Pfft, no. It's just, we no like next to nothing about each other. Hey, maybe I could do it like a profile questionnaire or something? I don't know, I'm just throwing ideas out here."

"Actually, you know a lot more about me than I you. Seeing as I've been your patient and all."

"_Project_, Sasuke, _project_. Not patient. And yea you are right. So. You should ask me some questions." Sasuke nodded.

"Formal or personal questions?" Naruto thought that over for a minute.

"I guess personal."

"What color underwear are you wearing?" Sasuke said it with the straightest face Naruto had ever seen. He blinked and burst out into laughter. That's the thing he probably liked best about Sasuke; his random humor, which came up in the most unexpected situation, said with the straightest face ever. Some people looked over to see what he was laughing about.

"Oh Sasuke, you perv. Wouldn't you like to know?" He asked, in an attempt to sound like a seductive girl. Sasuke laughed softly.

"Of course, that's why I asked." Naruto leaned over, smiling.

"Would it turn you on if I said that I wasn't wearing any?" He asked lowly, still using his girl voice.

"Mmmm, very much so."

"Well then...I'm wearing cotton granny panties right now, with bunnies on them."

"Oh, how very risqué of you, sexy." He said sarcastically. Naruto laughed.

"Geez, we've gotten nowhere perv. So how about I start us off? Um, let's see. I'm 19. I'm athletic. I'm the best fucking gamer since the dawn of _forever_. I like drinking and partying, I mean who doesn't? Ummmmmm. I'm an only child. I'm mixed with Dutch. And I guess you can say I swing both ways." Naruto nodded, thinking that was a good start."

"Well, I guess that explains a lot. Though I never would have pegged you as bisexual."

"Ha! Now _you're_ the one judging somebody! Jerk. But yea, no one really does. And what about you?"

"What?" Naruto smiled slyly.

"I mean, you just _have_ to be gay, you have all the girls practically hanging' off your nuts and you're still single." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Girls are annoying. And they don't know what they. Guys are infuriating too."

"So what are you, like asexual or something?" Naruto threw his arms up dramatically. "Oh no, Sasuke, you're gonna die aloooonnneeee!" He cried. He laughed when Sasuke face palmed.

"No, I'll get a cat or something. Bitches love cats." Naruto laughed. He noticed that his headache had disappeared, but he really couldn't give much credit to the Tylenol. Just being with Sasuke was enough to make his terrible headache go away. Sasuke seemed much more comfortable around him, and it made him unbelievably happy. He was definitely opening up more. Naruto was beginning to think that they could be good friends, even after this whole project was over. Just as he was finishing the last of his coffee, a loud vibration sounded. Sasuke leaned down to get his bag. He sat it on the table and searched through it.

"Geez Sasuke, forgot to turn off your vibrating dildo?" He teased. Sasuke rolled his eyes and smirked.

"Don't project your fantasies on me, idiot." He found his phone and opened it. Naruto watched as he Sasuke leaned over to read closer. Sasuke's shirt was easy to look down by the way he was sitting, and Naruto's eyes were drawn in. What he saw shocked him. It was a dark bruise with a cut across it. Naruto frowned.

"Hey Sasuke, what's-" He stopped when he saw the look on Sasuke's face. He looked like he was gonna crush his phone and possibly kill everyone in the vicinity. Then Naruto realized that that wasn't the phone Sasuke had the other day. Naruto flinched when Sasuke slammed his phone down and grabbed his bag. His breathing sounded labored. He looked...off.

"Are you okay?" He asked, concerned. Sasuke threw his bag over his shoulder with a shaky hand.

"I'm...fine. I have to...go...so I'll text you." Sasuke answered, trying to control his breathing. Naruto nodded hesitantly. With that, Sasuke turned and left hurriedly out of the cafe. Naruto just sat there, confused. What the hell just happened? Sighing, he pulled out his phone. Twenty minutes until his psych class and he still hadn't written his second analysis. He pulled out his bag and quickly flipped to an open page.

_Naruto Uzumaki._

_Analysis._

_Log #2_

_Subject: Sasuke Uchiha._

_Today, Sasuke seemed pretty good for the most part. He seems to be a lot more comfortable around me and is opening up to me more. His sense of humor is still as random and weird as ever. Oddly enough, he got pretty angry at me when I made jabs at him about not wanting to eat, but then things went back to normal. That was strange. And I don't know, he just up and left. He got some kind of text and everything changed. He showed signs of a panic or anxiety attack. It was strange, and it worried me a lot. So far, I'm learning more and more about him. Pretty soon I may have something. Until next time._

Naruto let out a long sigh. He shoved his notebook into his bag and got up to throw away his trash.

"Later Naruto!" Konan called out, smiling. Naruto smile back half-heartedly and walked out. He wanted to go see if Sasuke was okay, but he guessed that the best thing to do was just to go to class and wait until Sasuke texted him. The worry was nagging at his mind. He was sure that everything that was gonna be taught in class would go right over his head. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and made his way to class, deep in thought

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**A/N: So tell me what you think. Please review :3**


	6. Perceived Control

**A/N:Uhh, yea, so this is chapter six. Not much humor in here since im trying to get more and more into the plot. And you get to learn bout _one_ of Sasuke's many issues. Working on chapter seven and eight now! :3 Thanks for all the reviews and favorties and follows, I really appreciate them. This chapter seems a bit...wordy...but oh well. Please enjoy.**

**I don't own Naruto**

_"**Perceived control**:The belief that one has the ability to make a difference in the course or the consequences of some event or experience; often helpful in dealing with stressors."_

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_Click_

Naruto was transfixed as he watched Sasuke take pictures. He instructed Naruto to lie down in the grass. He began to capture him from above, muttering in approval after every shot. Every so often, he would instruct him to tilt his head back or part his lips or even to close his eyes. He looked so focused and concentrated. It was breathe taking. Sasuke moved from behind the camera and went to adjust Naruto's face. He grabbed his chin and tilted his head back. His hands were extremely cold. It made no sense, seeing how it was a warm day, but Naruto wasn't going to ask. Today was a good day and he didn't want to ruin it. He felt a slow blush rise onto his cheeks as Sasuke continued to adjust him. It wasn't long ago when he began to realize that he was starting to develop a crush on the pale boy. It was obvious that Sasuke was attractive, but more so he was just so perplexing. Something about him just pulled Naruto in, and he found himself wanting to spend more and more time with Sasuke. Even despite his weird, suspicious behavior. And those bruises...it angered Naruto so much. That he couldn't help Sasuke with whatever was going on. It had to be something. Despite what most would expect, Naruto was a very perceptive person. He had a slight idea of what was going on, but he felt it was way too soon to jump to conclusion. He had made a point not to ask about what happened at the cafe a few days ago. But his concern was killing him, and he really wanted to know what was going on with Sasuke. For now, he planned to just keep quiet and try not to anger Sasuke by asking questions. The best thing he could do was observe.

Sighing, he closed his eyes. He put one hand behind his head and rested the other on his stomach.

_Click_

Naruto opened one eye and peered up at Sasuke.

_Click_

Sasuke squatted down next to him and examined the photos. He looked pleased.

"You're blushing," He started monotonously," it shows really nice on camera. That position is really nice as well. It looks natural, yet photogenic like you're posing. This shading does wonders for your eyes. They look very alluring." He turned off the camera and let it hang freely around his neck. Crossing his legs, he sat next to Naruto. Naruto opened both eyes and smiled.

"Laying the compliments on pretty heavy there. Thanks, I try. Sounds like you're hitting on me." He teased. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Let's not get too conceited here."

"It's your fault, you're the one practically telling me how sexy I am."

"I think I'm gonna have to deflate that ego of yours. From now on I'll tell you that all your pictures are terrible." Naruto grinned and sat up.

"Heheee, but we all know that it's a lie. I'm _goooorrrgeous_!" Sasuke laughed softly, shaking his head.

Naruto was happy that things were pretty normal between them. Sasuke seemed fine for now. Naruto decided that he'd ask Sasuke about the cafe incident sometime later today. He couldn't just keep pretending nothing happened. Sasuke stood, brushing off his pants.

"Well, I have to go, I have more photos to take and develop and a class coming up soon."

"Wait, Sasuke," Naruto stopped, biting his lip. "You should, uhh, come over today or something." Sasuke rose an eyebrow.

"...I have homework to do. But, if you must, you could just come to my dorm." Naruto smiled brightly.

"Ah, okay! What's the building and all that stuff?"

"It's in Brownsen Hall on central campus. Second floor room 26c."

"Okay, well I'll see you later then." He stated, smiling. Sasuke scoffed and nodded, then left.

* * *

"You've got it _baaaaaddd_."

Naruto cocked his head to the side."Uh, what?"

"You heard me," Ino teased, "You've got a crush on Sasuke!"

"And you don't? What, I find the guy attractive, big deal." He went back to playing his ds, stretched out across Sakura's couch.

"Well, _Naruto_, everyone thinks the guy is gorgeous, but you really like the guy. You spend like every waking moment with him." She countered. Sakura laughed.

"We've only been hangin' out for like three weeks. _And_, not every moment, 'cuz I'm here with you guys right now."

Ino pouted. "Whatever. Don't deny it Naru, you're head over heels." Naruto blushed.

"Girls..."He mumbled. Sakura pat his head.

"It's okay little Naru, I'll protect you from the big bad Ino beast." They laughed as Ino huffed and went to the fridge. "So. What are you doing later on?" Naruto was about to answer but then paused. Damn. Saying he was going to Sasuke's house would only prove Ino's point. He sighed.

"Im goin over to Sasuke's dorm..." He muttered, embarrassed. Ino laughed.

"HA! Told you! You've got it bad babe!"

"Oh hush, leave poor Naru alone. He can't help it that he wants to get in Sasuke's pants." Sakura declared.

"Wait, what? I never said that!"

"So long as he uses protection." Ino added.

"Wha-aa-Guys!"

"Yea, we don't need him contributing to the gay babies of America." Kiba added, coming out from the back room.

"What the hell, Kiba!"

"But you've gotta admit, those would be some sexy ass babies." Ino added thoughtfully.

"Hell yea. But alas, they'd be gay. Such a waste." Sakura sighed dramatically. They laughed as Naruto hid his face under the pillow.

"You guys are the worst!" He grumbled out, his voice muffled by the pillow.

"Whatevs, you know you love us! Now, go get ready for your hot date later!"

"Sakuraaaaaa!" He whined.

* * *

_Fuck_

Sasuke sighed, kicking his door closed. Usually, he'd try his best to stay out of his dorm for as long as possible, wearing himself out during the day. That way, he could come home and fall asleep, wake up, shower, and leave. Spending too much time alone was dangerous. He tended to do dumb things. _'While recovering, try to spend time with friends, and out of situations that could cause you to get stressed and make you want to revert back to your previous behavior'_. That's what he read online from a website he'd been a part of for a while. He'd been trying to get over his...problems for a few months now. He was doing great for a while, and things were looking up, until that conversation with his father. That was the day he started back. And to make matters worse, he got that text message...just thinking about it made him want to hurt somebody. So he stayed out of his dorm as much as possible. But he found himself getting annoyed with everyone and wanting to stay home and never leave. Too bad he had classes to go to.

He dropped his bag onto the floor and went to the bathroom. Sitting on the floor, he rested his head next to the wall. God, he was tired. This was all just too much. His eyes locked onto the bathroom cabinet. It would be so easy. All he'd have to do was reach into the cabinet, and he wouldn't have to think about anything anymore. The pain would take over, and his mind would be clear. He battled mentally with himself until he gave in. Crawling toward cabinet, he opened it and pulled out a container. He opened it and pulled out a shiny blade. Just looking at it made Sasuke's head hurt. He sat the container down and removed his shirt. Cutting himself on his stomach was what hurt the worst. So much more painful than his wrists and a lot easier to hide. He placed the blade on his stomach. It was cold. Letting out a breathe; he began to move it, letting it glide across his skin. He laid his head back against the wall, sighing. The blood trickled down his stomach. It hurt like hell, but it was oddly pleasurable. A good kind of pain. Thoughts of his father, his family, and how pathetic and worthless he was floated out of his mind. All he could do was think about the pain. The sweet pain. He moved his hand to another spot and cut across it, quicker this time. He had a sharp intake of breathe at the sudden pain, but it morphed into a satisfied smile. He let himself float off, thinking of nothing as the pain took over. Finally, he was free from his thoughts, if only for a little while.

"Sasuke! Man you left your door open! I should steal your stuff to teach you a lesson!"

Sasuke's eyes opened wide.

_Shit! Shit, shit, shit, shit! He'd completely forgotten about Naruto!_

He jumped up and almost screamed at the pain. Quickly, he closed the bathroom door and locked it.

"Idiot! Have you ever heard of knocking?" He called back.

"Uh,yea, I did, and I called your phone five freakin' times. Is everything okay in there?" His voice was muffled by the door.

"I was in the shower, sorry. Just wait out there and don't touch anything!" He went under his cabinet and threw everything in there. Standing up, he grabbed a rag and quickly washed his stomach off. He grabbed a random t-shirt from the corner and threw it on. Good, it was black and high neck. He opened the door and stepped out. Naruto was on his bed, observing his canvas bag.

"Hey, what does this say?" Naruto held it up. Around the edges were a sentence in Japanese, a sentence in Korean, and a sentence that looked like Arabic.

"It's Japanese, Korean, and Armenian. It says _'There is beauty in everything. Look with your heart, and you'll see it'_." Naruto smiled softly.

"That's really profound. Did you come up with that?"

"No, my mother did. She told me that a long time ago when she was beginning her photography career." He sat down at the edge of his bed, wincing at the pain in his stomach.

"You should say it for me in all those languages."

"Tch, why?"

"Becuase, it'll be cute to hear you sounding all foreign." He teased. Sasuke frowned.

"Fine." Naruto sat up smiling.

""Kay, Japanese first."

"Subete no utsukushi-sa ga arimasu. Anata no kokoro de mite, anata wa sore ga hyōji sa remasu. Stop giggling, weirdo."

Naruto laughed. "Sorry, it's just so adorable! Okay, Korean."

"Huh, creep. Modeun samul-eseo aleumdaum iissda. Ma-eum-eulo bwa, geuligo dangsin-eun geugeos-eul bol su"

"Heheee, okay Armenian."

"Ka geghets'kut'yuny e amen inch'its'. Nayek' dzer sirty , yev duk' ktesnek' ayn." Naruto clapped.

"Man, you're awesome! Are you like fluent in all of those languages?" Sasuke nodded.

"Yes, and French and German. But what about you? Didn't you say you were mixed with Dutch?"

"Ah, you remembered. And yes I am, but I can't speak it for shit." He lay back down. "But seriously. That's a really beautiful saying, Sasuke. You're mom sounds like an amazing person." He smiled brightly. Sasuke smiled softly back at him.

"Yea, she was." It was quiet for a moment as they sat. Naruto hummed in understanding, not wanting to be one of those _'Oh dear, I'm so sorry for your loss!_' people. He'd gotten that enough in his life to know how much it could piss someone off. No one wanted pity; it made them feel ten times worst about their situation. So instead, he chose to acknowledge it and that's it. No point in having a whole conversation about it if Sasuke didn't want to.

"So. I was wondering if you want to hang with me and my friends some time? They'd love to meet you. "He asked, changing the subject, much to Sasuke's liking. He grabbed Sasuke's foot and pulled it. Sasuke let out a yelp of pain, the movement from him being pulled causing sharp pain to his stomach. Naruto looked up, concerned. Sasuke winced as he instinctively slid a hand under his shirt. When he pulled it out, there was blood on his fingertips. He quickly hid his hand behind him and wiped it off onto his black comforter. Sasuke looked at Naruto, to see if he noticed it. From the way he was acting, he hadn't. Knowing Naruto, he would've caused a scene if he did.

"Sasuke, you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine; I just have a stomach ache."

"Oh, sorry then, for pulling you I mean." he looked guilty. Sasuke waved him off.

"It's fine. But I have to go meet up with Suigetsu soon to finish another project." Naruto nodded and stood up.

"Ah, okay. We'll see you later then?"

"Yea, just let me know when you want to get some more stuff done for your project." Naruto nodded and left, closing the door. Sasuke sighed in relief. He dodged a fucking _bullet_. It was surprisingly easy to get Naruto out of there. He rushed to the bathroom and took off his shirt. He grabbed the rag and began to clean off his stomach. Looking in the mirror, he grimaced.

_'Disgusting'_

* * *

Naruto was freaking out.

He saw it.

He knew Sasuke was being weird, when he first got to his dorm. He was suspicious the whole time, but he decided to just ignore it. He was working his way up to asking about the whole cafe incident until he pulled Sasuke's foot. He did it just to annoy him, but Sasuke's reaction surprised him. He watch as Sasuke reached under his shirt, and then he saw it.

Blood. And lots of it.

Normally, Naruto would've caused a scene, but he honestly had no clue what to do. He was worried _sick_. First the weird anxiety attack and bruises, and now this. What the hell was going on? Was Sasuke being hurt? Was he hurting himself? Naruto didn't know how to approach this. So he thought it was best to leave when Sasuke gave him the chance. He had his suspicions earlier but now...he was sure. But what could he do for him? He wanted to help him, but he was scared that if he tried, Sasuke would just push him away. Thinking back, he remembered when he first suggested the idea of Sasuke being his subject for this project to Shikimaru. Shikimaru had said that it was possible that Sasuke was as shallow as he had first believed. He couldn't have been more wrong. Something was bothering him though. It had to be more than just cutting. Like, something serious. He decided to think about that later in favor of calling a friend. He whipped out his phone and dialed, pacing as he waited for the phone to pick up.

"Hey hey hey, how's your hot date going?" Sakura chimed on the other end.

"Sakura, I'm freaking out here!"

"Whoa, did something bad happen? Did you forget to use lube?" She asked, slyly. Naruto groaned.

"Sakura, it has nothing to do with that! Okay, so I have this friend...wait. Let me rephrase this. What would you do if you found out something about a friend that you _definitely_ wasn't supposed to know, like something _big_ and _dangerous_? Like, your friend could possibly kill themself because of it, but you're a hundred percent sure that they'll absolutely _hate_ you if you confront them about it or try to get help?" He ranted, hurriedly. The line was silent for a few seconds.

"Um, whoa. Are you okay Naruto?"

"Yea, _I'm_ fine, but it's not _me_ I'm worried about. Please Sakura, I need your advice."

"Well, I mean as a person, I would want someone to respect my privacy. If I don't wanna talk about it, then case closed, the conversation is over. _But_, if it's life or death, then sure, I'd be pissed, but fuck how I'm feeling, at least I'm _alive_. What I'm saying is that if it's something big like that, fuck how they might react, you need to get them help. No matter how angry they get and how much they say they'll hate you, in the long run they'll realize you cared enough to get them help." Naruto smiled. He was so glad he chose to call Sakura.

"Sak, you're the freakin' best, do you know that?"

Sakura laughed. "Of course. I'm glad _you_ know that. But whatever's going on, good luck Naru. Love you."

"Love you too." He hung up. He let out a tired sigh.

Tomorrow. He'd ask Sasuke about it tomorrow. He couldn't just sit back and let Sasuke kill himself. What kind of person would he be?

* * *

**A/N: It's getting serious now :o :o :o Sh*t just got real. tell me what you think, please review and thanks for reading! :3**

**Ps. Did anyone hear about the article Masashi Kishimoto wrote saying that Naruto would last at least a year and a half longer, but most likely _more_ than that? Seriously? I mean, I understand they are at _war_ and it won't be over in just a few chapters but _come on!_ It's just...dude that's too freakin long. I just wanna see the ending wear Naruto kicks madara's ass, Sasuke's dies(not a huge fan of Cannon Sasuke) becomes hokage,and live happily ever after. Kind of a lame ending but at least it's an ending...sorry for the rant, I'm just a tad frustrated with Kishimoto at the moment.**


	7. Comorbidity

**A/N: Okay, so I had no inspiration for this chapter but I was like, I have to update one day, so I started writing and bam! Inspiration hit. I was listening to some pretty emotional music too. But yea, here's chapter seven, please tell me what you think and enjoy! Also I appreciate all your reviews and favorites and follows, thanks so much! ^_^**

**I don't own Naruto**

_******Comorbidity:** The experience of more than one disorder at the same time_

* * *

"Yea, when are you gonna be home?"

"Maybe sometime next week? Isn't it almost winter break for you students?" Sasuke snorted

"Yea, which is pretty stupid. We're always on break. I'm surprised they don't have something like...kwanza break. Any excuse to get out of school I guess." He heard Itachi's laugh on the other end.

"Goodness Sasuke, you're probably the only teenager who doesn't rejoice at leaving school."

"I'm not a teenager..." He grumbled.

"You're nine-_teen_. Extreme emphasis on _teen_. But don't worry, you'll be twenty soon, won't you? We'll go out and do something. Maybe hire some hookers?" Sasuke scoffed.

"The last thing I'd want is a bunch of hookers. And anyway, you'll be back in Sydney by then."

"Oh don't worry; I'd easily fly back for you. You know that. But about those hookers...I know you don't quite fancy women...they could always be male?" Itachi laughed when he heard Sasuke's exasperated groan.

"For the last time, I'm _not_ gay." He stated.

"But you're not straight. You just haven't realized it yet. But in due time little brother." He chuckled. Sasuke sighed.

"Tch, whatever. I guess I'll be going home then for winter break. Please tell me you're just there to visit for a day and you're planning to book a hotel or something?" He asked, hopefully. Itachi sighed.

"Sorry, but I think its best that I spend some time at home. Make sure father's alright and everything. Besides, maybe things will change this time."

"You're too optimistic, Itachi. But okay. I already let him know that I'd be home."

"How did it go?"

"How do you think?" He asked, bitterly. Itachi sighed again.

"Maybe I am a little optimistic, but someday this unhealthy...aversion that father has towards you has to end. It's been, what, ten years since mother died?"

"Itachi!" Sasuke said, angrily.

"Don't get angry with me, a fact is a fact. Mother is _dead_, and that's a fact. The fact that father can't get over is just pathetic."

"What the hell, Itachi? You can't expect someone to just _get over _the death of their _wife_!"

"Okay, so get over wasn't exactly the word choice I meant. I'm not over her death either and never will be, but maybe father needs to stop being so pathetic. Putting his anger on his own_ son_ who has nothing to do with her death, all because you _look_ like her. I swear, I just don't understand people."

"I know, how do you think I feel? But now is hardly the time to talk about this. I just want to be happy that you're here, so let me be." He whined slightly.

"Hm, you're right. I'm happy to be here. I've really missed you." Sasuke felt a soft smile pull at the corner of his lips.

"Good to hear. For a while, I thought you'd forgot about me." Sasuke teased.

"Of course not. But I must go, I have a business call. I'll call you back soon. I love you."

"I love you too." He said softly, and then hung up. Talking to Itachi always made him feel so much better. Growing up, he'd been more of a father to Sasuke than his own. He always watched out for him and always took care of him. He couldn't wait to go see him; it had been a year since they'd seen each other. Of course they spoke over the phone, but it's not the same as actually _seeing_ Itachi and being around him. He frowned when he heard a loud growl coming from his stomach. How long has it been since he'd properly eaten? Five days, maybe a week? Today, he felt like maybe he'd actually eat something. That he actually could. That he actually deserved to. Most of the time, just the thought of food made him sick. He shouldn't even be eating, seeing how fat he was. It would only make him even fatter. And disgusting. But days like this, when he spoke to Itachi or was just having a really good day, he felt like just maybe he could eat. That he wasn't so disgusting and that he was actually worth the air that he breathed.

He stood up and grabbed a shirt and his bag, getting ready to head to some random cafe. He didn't bother looking himself over. He grabbed his keys and made his way to the door. Maybe today, he'd eat and actually _keep it down_, and not feel bad about the fact that he'd eaten. He checked his phone and then closed the door, going in the direction of a cafe he used to frequent.

* * *

"-The process by which people behave in ways that elicit from others' specific expected reactions and then use those reactions to confirm their beliefs. It is important when diagnosing someone, though it could also prove detrimental, seeing as this method is based off of assumptions, not necessarily backed by study or research-"

Naruto jotted down notes as fast as possible. He could hardly concentrate, but he couldn't afford to miss this lesson. They had a big test coming up pretty soon and he needed to pass it to keep his grade up. His knee was shaking like crazy. Today, he planned to really sit Sasuke down and talk with him. He couldn't put it off any longer. All this worrying was driving him insane. He let out a loud breathe as the bell rung. Quickly, he collected his papers.

"Alright class, see you tomorrow. Don't forget about your projects! Just for a little bit of a pacing reminder, you should have at least three analysis done by now!"

Naruto shuffled down the stairs and made his way to the front. Mr. Yamanaka was faced towards the board, erasing the notes from the day's lecture.

"Hey, um, professor?" He asked, nervously. Mr. Yamanaka turned and smiled.

"Ah, Uzumaki, how can I help you today?" He put the eraser down and crossed his arms.

"Well, I was wondering if you had any books on mental disorders? I went to the library and like all of them were checked out."

nodded."Yea, I have a few copies of _Mind Dystopia _left; you can borrow one of those. So, does this have anything to do with your project? Have you had a breakthrough yet?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Naruto grabbed a book and shrugged. He grabbed his stuff and went towards the door.

"Umm, something like that. But I'll see ya' tomorrow, thanks for the book!" He rushed out of the classroom and down the hall.

He decided to go to Sasuke's dorm first. _'Maybe he'd be in his room' _he thought to himself. He hadn't figured out how exactly he was gonna bring up the subject and much less talk about it, but he'd burn that bridge when he cross it. The most important thing was helping Sasuke. He smiled softly as Sasuke's dorm came into view. He quickly made his way up the stairs and knocked. After a few minutes, he knocked again. Five more minutes and he was imagining the worst. He could just see Sasuke, lying in a pool of his own blood, dead. Anxiously, he knocked harder. He pulled out his phone, calling Sasuke's number. Finally, Sasuke answered.

"What?" Naruto let out a long sigh. God, he thought something had happened to him.

"Where the hell are you? I'm at your dorm right now, by the way." He heard Sasuke snort.

"I'm in the Avance. Why are you at my dorm?"

"Uh, I don't know, I just kinda assumed that you had nowhere else better to be." He teased.

"Thanks. Nice to know what you think of my social life."

"Or your lack thereof?" He smiled.

"Whatever. What do you want?"

"Straight forward as ever. I'm gonna meet you in there, 'kay? I _really _need to talk to you." He said, nervously.

"...Okay, what about?" Sasuke asked hesitantly.

"Well this isn't something that should be discussed over the phone, so yea, just stay put and I'll be there soon." His serious tone took Sasuke by surprise.

"Alright, I'll see you when you get here." With that, Sasuke hung up.

The walk to the Avance was nerve-wracking. Each step felt heavier and heavier. His hands were sweaty and shaky. He ran a hand through his hair and let out a long groan. He wished he was more prepared than this. As he made his way along the path, he caught sight of Sasuke. He was lounged against a tree, headphones in and the black hood of his sleeveless jacket up. His legs were crossed, and one hand tapped to the beat while the other rested at his side. Naruto quickly went over to him, creating a shadow. Sasuke looked up at him, his dark eyes seemingly glowing with...happiness? Naruto could tell that Sasuke was a little happier than normal. It was oddly...mesmerizing. He shook his head. Now was not the time for those kinds of thoughts._' He wouldn't be happy for long' _Naruto , he sat in front of Sasuke, crossing his legs.

"Dude. With your hood up like that, it totally looks like you're gonna kill me….or steal my TV." He joked, trying to ease some of his tension. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"So? What was so important that you had to come out here to talk to me about?" Sasuke asked distractedly as he pulled out his headphones, pressed pause, and slowly began to wrap his headphones. Naruto wasn't really sure how to go about this. Should he just out and say it or should he just act normal and then slowly work the conversation toward the incident in Sasuke's dorm? But knowing Sasuke, he'd know something was up and get suspicious. He'd end up demanding Naruto to just _spit it out. _Naruto sighed. Sasuke was a pretty straight forward person, so Naruto figured there was no point in beating around the bush. Taking a deep breathe, Naruto began.

"The other day, in your dorm, I saw it. When I pulled your foot and hurt your stomach, I saw the blood on your hands."

Naruto felt the temperature around them drop. Sasuke froze, still looking down at his iPod. Slowly, he looked up and locked eyes with Naruto. Naruto could see the emotions flashing through his eyes; _fear_, _terror, sadness, and finally...anger_ He looked like he wanted to kill Naruto with just that look. Naruto swallowed but said nothing. Sasuke continued to wrap his headphones and slid his iPod into his pocket. He looked back up and let out a long sigh.

"I don't see how that's any of your business." He said, condescendingly. Naruto blinked and frowned.

"What do you mean it's none of my business? That scared the crap out of me! I was worried about you!" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You're making this more than what it really is, idiot. It's not a big deal." Sasuke was looking down at his feet, his hands, _anywhere_ but at Naruto. He couldn't bring himself to look him in the eye. He couldn't believe that Naruto _knew_...

"I don't-I-I don't even...UGHHH!" Naruto groaned in his head exasperatedly. Sasuke couldn't be serious right now. Not a big deal? He was fucking _bleeding_! Naruto took a deep breathe to calm himself. "Sasuke, look at me." Sasuke continued to watch his hands, ignoring Naruto. "Sasuke." He said again, his voice firm and angry. Sasuke lifted his head, taken aback by Naruto's tone. He felt himself getting angry.

"Who the _fuck_ do you think you're talking to?" He asked menacingly. "I don't think I like you're tone." Naruto gritted his teeth.

"Then maybe you shouldn't be avoiding the topic!"

"I said it was none of your business." He retorted.

"The hell it is! What's wrong, are you hurting yourself? Is someone hurting you?" Sasuke scoffed.

"Like I'd let someone hurt me. Who the hell do you take me for?"

"Well then why are you hurting yourself?"

"I'll say this _one_ last time. It's. None. Of. Your. Fucking. Business." He answered shortly. Naruto growled angrily.

"Sasuke, I'm _worried_ about you! Who wouldn't be when they see something like what I saw at your dorm? I just want to help you and you're just being difficult!" Sasuke balled his fists and let out an angry growl.

"Don't sit here and pretend to be worry about me, as if you actually care about me!"

"OH MY GOD, SASUKE! I DO CARE ABOUT YOU!" Naruto's eyes were wide. His hands were on his head, as he grabbed his hair, frustrated.

"No you don't _care_ about me; the only thing you _care_ about is an A on your goddamn project!" He yelled back. People had begun to look at them curiously.

"This has _nothing_ to do with my project! Fuck my project! I'm worried about a friend, is that so wrong? Fuckin' sue me! I want to make sure you're okay! What kind of friend would I be if I sat back and just let you _kill_ yourself like this?"

"A friend who knows when to mind his own goddamn business and not be so fucking _nosy_!" He stood up abruptly, about to leave. As he did, he kicked his bag over, the contents spilling out. A bottle of medicine rolled toward Naruto's feet. Sasuke tried to grab it but Naruto was faster. He picked it up and read the bottle. Prozac? Wasn't this some kind of depression medicine? He felt Sasuke grab his arm in a bone crushing grip, ripping the bottle out of his hands. Naruto stared at him, wide eyed.

"Sasuke..." He started, slowly. "Do you cut yourself because your de-"

"Depressed? No, it has nothing to do with that." He answered coldly. "What else do you want to know, huh? Since you want to play mother fucking detective, I might as well tell you everything huh?" He spat.

"Sasuke, it has nothing to do with-"

"Oh don't stop now," He drawled, sarcastically and bitterly, "you almost hit the fucking jackpot! You wanted to know what's wrong with me Naruto, so here it is!" He threw the bottle at Naruto. Naruto winced as it hit him in the face, hard." I'm a _sick_, _cutting_, _depressed_, _anorexic _fucking _pyscho_!"He yelled. Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "I'm just a fucked up guy with a fucked up life and too many fucking issues!" This time, he pushed him. Naruto grabbed him by the wrist, looking down at him. His wrists were so thin...

"Sasuke, stop it! You're taking this too far! You need help, and I want to help you! STOP being such a stubborn _bastard _and let me!" Sasuke pulled himself out of Naruto's grip and stepped back.

"Tell me, _Naruto_, what can _you_ do to help me? What the hell do you know? You've probably had the perfect life, perfect parents, hundreds of friends; you don't know the _first thing_ about what I'm going through." He stopped, waiting for Naruto's response. Naruto's fists were clenched so tightly, he could feel his palms starting to bleed. He was practically biting through his lip. "Exactly. So talk to me when you know what the hell you're talking about. Keep your nose out of my shit and stay the hell away from me." He grabbed his bags and his things and left Naruto standing there, shaking.

As much as Naruto wanted to help Sasuke, at that moment, it took everything good in him not to beat the _shit_ out of Sasuke. How dare he say that Naruto had no clue what he was going through? He didn't even _know _him! His life wasn't a walk in the fucking park either! All he wanted to do was _help_ him and _this_ was the thanks he got? Naruto let out and angry growl and stormed off toward his dorm. The people who'd been watching were whispering to each other.

Fuck Sasuke! He didn't have to take that crap from anybody. He was trying to be a good friend, he'd genuinely wanted to help Sasuke but look how it turned out. He needed to blow off some steam. He felt like he could punch a bystander at this point. Going home probably wouldn't be the best choice; he'd just end up destroying his dorm. He pulled out his phone and sent a quick text. He decided to go to Sakura's house; after all, she was the best when it came to calming him down and stopping him from doing something stupid.

* * *

**A/N: Oddly enough, I actually talked this part out as I wrote to help it flow...my family probably things im crazy for argueing with myself. I'm so glad I finally got this chapter done because it was like the midpoint and the start of ALL the crazy that is to come! And more importantly one of the major stepping stones in their relationship. I'm extremely anxious to get it all posted! Thanks for reading, please review, it really inspires me to write...and makes me giddy and giggly and happy. Hope you like it :3**

**As a sidenote: I've noticed my chapters are kinda short...but I just like to keep it all short and sweet and to the point. I just absolutely _hate_ reading three flippin paragraphs describing a tree and someones clothes and all that stuff. But don't worry, they'll get longer. Or at least I'll try my best ;_;**


	8. Log Entry 3

**A/N:Well, here's chapter 8. Please tell me what you think. I had a lot of distractions while writing this (in the form of an annoying six year old) So yea, i really hope you guys like it. Please enjoy**

**I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

_Pathetic_.

Never before in his life had Sasuke felt so _pathetic_. He couldn't believe that he'd told Naruto everything. And made himself look like a raging psycho on top of that. Thinking back, he may have over reacted a little bit, but how did Naruto expect that conversation to go? For him to spill his heart out and then ask Naruto to get him help, and then everything would be fine and dandy? Life didn't work like that. And the fact that Naruto expected to just waltz up to him, bring up something that wasn't any of his business and try to be some kind of savior pissed Sasuke off. If it was that easy, Sasuke would've been "healed" a long time ago. But it wasn't, so here he was, still as fucked up as ever.

Sasuke let out a long sigh and rolled over on his bed. He threw his arms over his eyes as he felt tears threatening to spill over. He still felt so _angry _ from earlier, he couldn't help but cry. Now Naruto would just look at him with pity. Every time they talked from here on, he'd just try to get him help. They'd never go back to the way they were. True, they didn't know each other for that long, but Sasuke could admit that Naruto had begun to grow on him. He'd felt a connection with him that he'd never felt before, a closeness that he always desired, but was too scared to try to obtain. He felt so at ease around Naruto. He didn't have to worry, because Naruto didn't _know_. But now, everything was ruined. Just like his friends in the past, it would never be the same. And it was all that _idiot's_ fault. If he would've minded his own business, things would've been fine and Sasuke wouldn't be feeling so...awful.

He felt his breathe catch in his throat as he choked back a sob. He felt like he was going to have another anxiety attack. Just perfect. That was the last thing he needed right now. Getting up, he went into the bathroom and went under the cabinet, pulling out the straight blade he kept hidden under there. The light shone off of it, reflecting Sasuke's face. He grimaced and held it tight. He could feel the edge cutting into his palm, blood trickling down. He really didn't want to cut himself, he wished he could stop. That it was as easy as most people tried to make it seem. But the feeling he got when the blade cut his skin, the _release_ he felt when his skin broke...it was like all his worries flowed away with the blood that poured out. And along with the pain came peace. None of his problems existed then. The only thing that was real was the pain. The only thing he had to focus on was the pain. To him, it was the better than any drug he could ever take. He felt himself sliding down to the floor in defeat. His breathing had begun to quicken. He brought the blade to his arm and slowly slid it across. The coolness of blade soothed him. He felt his breathing even out and his heart slow down. _This was bliss_.

Over and over, he slashed at his arms, humming to himself, his arm growing number by the minute. After twenty minutes, he stopped to inspect the damage. His arms were covered in cuts and blood, his pale skin barely visible. He was grateful that it was chilly outside so he wouldn't be questioned about wearing long sleeves. It'd been a while since he'd had to do that, but the calm he felt now was worth it. He stood and looked himself over in the mirror. His eyes were blood shot. He looked paler than ever. Blood poured down his arms. He looked disgusting. Frowning, he turned away from the mirror to look down at the counter. A bottle of medicine sat on the corner. He smiled bitterly and picked it up. What was the point of this stuff anyway? It didn't even help. If anything, it made him feel more angry and bitter and suicidal. Even if he took it, he still was gonna cut and he still was gonna throw up and he _still _was gonna be fucking crazy...so what was the point? He twisted open the bottled and dumped the pills into the sink. As they fell down the drain, he felt himself growing nauseous. He dropped to his knees as he gagged and felt himself emptying out his stomach.

The burn he felt made him want to die. It's not like he had anything to empty out anyway. Most of it was just acid from his stomach. He panted as his chest burned and tears came to his eyes.

_"You need help, and I want to help you! STOP being such a stubborn bastard and let me!" _Naruto's words from earlier rung in his head.

Closing his eyes, he let out a choked sob. Help? He was beyond help.

* * *

"So I take it this talk with your friend didn't go so well?" Sakura inquired. Naruto had come into her dorm, looking like he was gonna kill someone. It took her by surprise; it had been a long time since she saw him that angry. She let him in and he'd lie across the bed and screamed, the sound muffled by the pillow his face was in. Sakura sat at the foot and waited, her back against the wall and her head cocked to the side. Five minutes passed until Naruto finally turned onto his back and sighed.

"I don't think it could've gone any _worse_." He groaned and threw and arm over his face. Sakura scooted next to him and ran a comforting hand through his hair.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

"Yes...no...kind of. I don't know. I'm just gonna get pissed all over again."

Sakura bit her lip, not sure if she should ask another question. She wasn't sure if Naruto would actually tell her. Her curiosity got the best of her and she decided to ask anyway." This friend...was it Sasuke?" She saw Naruto stiffen. He moved his arm and looked her in the eyes.

"...Yea."

"Are you…is it okay for you to tell me the problem?" She asked hesitantly, though not expecting and actual answer. Naruto shook his head.

"I…it's not really my place to tell you. He doesn't even want me to know." He said quietly.

That sat in silence for a while, Sakura's hands on his arm reassuringly. She looked over and gasped as she saw tears coming down Naruto's cheeks. She leaned over to wipe them away.

"Oh Naruto..." She breathed, pensively. He looked so dejected. Sakura could feel her heart breaking at the sight of her usually cheery friend. She felt guilt overtake her. It was all her fault. She was the one who suggested that Naruto confront the problem, whatever the _problem_ was. And now because of her, Naruto was pissed off and depressed, and God only _knows_ how Sasuke was fairing.

"He was right, I should've just minded my own business," Naruto started, startling Sakura," I should've just ignored it and went on with my life. But _no_, instead I try to be a good friend and help him, and this is what I get? It hurts so much to have someone's best interest at heart and to be shot down, you know? And on top of that, to be fucking insulted and treated as if you're being _nosey_, not like you genuinely _care_. It just hurts so much." He felt his voice shaking as it clouded with emotion. He looked up and felt a small frown pull at the corners of his mouth. Sakura was looking down, tears in her eyes and her fists gripping the sheets.

"Sakura, it's not your fault, if that's what you're thinking. Even if I hadn't called you, I would've talked to him anyway. Please don't cry." He finished quietly. Sakura took a deep breath and nodded. Naruto smiled softly and wiped away his tears.

"Look at me. I'm supposed to be making you feel better and here I am crying." She laughed, rolling her eyes and wiping away the tears on her face. Naruto laughed softly. "Let's go do something to get your mind off of things, 'kay? I think Gaara and Sai are hanging at his house, we should go over there. "

Naruto nodded. "Sounds awesome. I've missed those guys." He sat up, wiping his tear stained face. Standing up, he stretched and made his way to the door, waiting as Sakura grabbed her keys and phone.

* * *

They walked in companionable silence to Gaara's dorm room. As they walked, Naruto felt his thoughts drifting to Sasuke. They'd spent the past few weeks together, getting acquainted and slowly but surely growing close. Naruto had even developed feelings for him, but just like that, everything was _gone_. In all of ten minutes, the short friendship they developed was destroyed, all over a stupid argument. Well, it wasn't exactly stupid; it was just that Sasuke was being so fucking _stubborn_. Naruto was sure that when he brought it up, he didn't sound angry or shocked or even had any pity in his voice, but Sasuke still freaked out on him. And damn...he had so many problems. Naruto didn't know how to react. He couldn't just avoid him or pretend like they'd never been friends, especially with what he now knew. And being him, he knew that people with self-harming problems are usually triggered to hurt themselves when they are under extreme stress. After that argument, Naruto was sure that Sasuke was distressed beyond belief. The stress of someone knowing something that was a dark secret was _crazy_. Naruto knew that from experience. For all he knew, Sasuke could be hurting himself right now. But Naruto was convinced that Sasuke was stronger than that. And, judging by the way he so easily threw away Naruto's help and friendship, he doubted he was important enough for Sasuke to hurt himself over. He knew he should be angrier at Sasuke, especially after what he said, but his anguish over took it. He couldn't believe that Sasuke would even suggest that he had the perfect life. He didn't know what he went through, so how could he just say that? For a person who was so against judging a book by its cover, Sasuke sure did and amazing job at it.

"Hey..." Sakura said, softly. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it reassuringly, pulling Naruto out of his train of thought. Naruto smiled softly at her and nodded, as they continued their walk, hand in hand.

They made it to Gaara's dorm and climbed the stairs. They knocked and waited, until someone opened the door. Ino stood in the doorway, looking curiously at them. Her long hair was down, brushing the ground. She was in pajama shorts and an oversized rolling stones t-shirt that must've been Gaara's. She blinked.

"Hey guys, I didn't know you were coming over, what's the occasion?" She asked. Sakura snorted.

"You're talking like this is your dorm. We came over to hang out with Gaara and Sai, but I guess you're here too. Whoopee." She joked in fake sarcasm. Ino stuck out her tongue and moved aside to let them in.

Loud music blasted through the stereo, the beginnings of what sounded like a Slayer song. Sai lay on the floor typing away on Gaara's laptop. Gaara came out from the back, topless with black sweatpants on. It always amused Naruto just how short Gaara was. At 19 years old, he was only 5'4", an inch shorter than Sakura and six shorter than him. As he walked, the tail of a dragon on his side moved with his body. He'd gotten that tattoo on a drunken rendezvous with Naruto back in their high school days. Naruto had gotten a tribal tattoo on his belly, and Gaara had gotten a large oriental Chinese dragon tattoo across his back that curled around to his sides, and the kanji for love tattooed on his forehead. It was always mesmerizing to watch the dragon move with his body as he walked. He stopped in front of them, his big teal eyes staring blankly.

"Hey Gaara, we thought we'd come and, uhh, chill with you guys for a bit...?" Naruto trailed off, nervously. Gaara's stare was unnerving. A slow small smile played at Gaara's lips.

"You sound scared, Naruto. You know I don't bite." He said teasingly, in his quiet raspy voice. Naruto smiled and laughed.

"Well you never know with you! You're such a weirdo Gaara!" he teased as he plopped down on Gaara's couch. He waved at Sai in greeting, who grunted in response. "What's with him?" He asked. Gaara shrugged."

"Term paper due tomorrow. He was slacking off at my house this past week and now he's gonna fail and become homeless if he doesn't finish." Naruto snorted and laid his head back. He watched as Ino and Sakura sat atop Gaara's desk, laughing and talking about girl stuff. He smiled.

"Whatcha guys talkin' about?" He asked, tiredly. Ino waved a hand, brushing him off.

"Nothing. Girl stuff." Naruto pouted. Gaara rolled his eyes and sat sideways in Naruto's lap, his hands crossed over his chest.

"That just means that they're either A) talking shit about other girls or B) talking about guys. Neither of which you're interested in." Ino squawked indignantly. Naruto laughed. He was a little surprised that she heard him over the loud music, especially since Gaara's voice was so soft and quiet, but he guessed that being around him so long, all their ears had adjusted to the sound of it. He turned his head to the side to look at Gaara. Gaara was looking at him, with a soft expression.

"What?" Naruto asked, unsurely.

"_Your wide awake nightmare wings of pain, reach out for you his face of death staring down ,blood running cold_" He sang along to the song. He stopped and brushed Naruto's hair out of his face. "You seem troubled, are you okay?" He asked softly. Naruto sighed.

"I'm fine. It's just; it's been a long day. I'm tired." Gaara gave him an unconvinced look. Naruto knew that Gaara wouldn't believe him. "Look, I'd _really_ rather not talk about it okay? I was just starting to feel better." He muttered. Gaara frowned.

"Sorry. But hey, smile Sunshine, no point in you being gloomy. Especially not in my house." He leaned over and put his forehead to Naruto's. "And I won't hesitate to kick whoever's ass who did this to you. Was it Kiba? God knows I've been looking for an excuse to kick his ass. I thought I was gonna just have to do it for no reason...like some crazy person." Naruto snorted and laughed softly.

"No Gaara, it wasn't Kiba, the guy's one of my best friends! And besides, you guys should get along! It's lame when my friends can't even hangout without going at it, you know?"

"Not my fault. He's the one who called me a psycho killer leprechaun midget. Meanie." he pouted. Naruto laughed and pushed Gaara off of him and on his back on the couch.

"Okay, one day you guys can have a battle royale or whatever, but no blood!"

"Well...that just takes away from my satisfaction." Gaara complained. Naruto laid his head down on his stomach, his laughing coming to a stop. He stared at the ceiling for a bit and then turned to Gaara, starting quietly,

"Hey Gaara?" Gaara had a hand in his hair, twisting the blonde locks.

"...hmm?"

Naruto bit his lip nervously. "Remember that day three years ago?" Even though the question was vague, Gaara nodded, his eyes dark in understanding.

"Yes...why are you bringing _that _up?" He asked quietly.

_Three years ago...one of the longest days of Naruto's life. The day that Gaara had tried to commit suicide. If it wasn't for Naruto leaving his phone at Gaara's house, Gaara wouldn't be alive today. It was after school one day, in their junior year of high school, and they were hanging out in Gaara's room. Gaara had been acting odd the whole day. Naruto had brushed it off and thought nothing of it. Gaara was an odd person, so it didn't really surprise him. But what really unnerved him was as he was leaving. Gaara had given him a bone crushing hug and told him he loved him. It wasn't really unusual for them to say it to each other, but the way Gaara had said it...it seemed so odd and so final. Naruto shook it off and left. Ten minutes into his walk home, he was still worried about Gaara. So he decided to call and check up on him. He reached in his pocket and noticed that his phone wasn't there. _'Must've left it at Gaara's' _he thought. So he decided to go back for It, and check up on him. Once he'd gotten to his house, he walked right in. He slowly closed the door quietly._

"_Gaara!?" He called, letting Gaara know it was him who came in and not some burglar._

_Everything was quiet; meaning his family still hadn't gotten home yet. He put down his bag and made his way up the spiraling staircase. He walked down the hall until he found Gaara's room. When he got to Gaara's room, he stopped, feeling his blood run cold. Gaara lay on his floor, pale and shaking. His lips were ghostly blue and his eyes were half lidded. He was breathing slowly._

_"Gaara!" Naruto screamed, terrified. He grabbed him and pulled him to his chest. He was freezing. Quickly, he grabbed his phone. He noticed the empty bottle of pills and began to choke on his sobs. He dialed 911, trying to keep calm._

_"911, how can we help you?"_

_"Q-quick, I-I need an ambulance! My friend o-o-overd-dosed and he's d-dy-dying!" he mentally cursed himself for stuttering. He gave them the address, and they said that an ambulance would be there in five minutes. Naruto hung up and cried, pulling Gaara closer._

_"P-please! Please Ga-aara! Hang on! Don't leave me!" he cried. "Please!"_

No one else knew of that but him and Gaara. While Gaara was in the hospital, Naruto lied at school and said that he'd caught the flu. They never told any of their friends. Naruto smiled sadly and folded his arms.

"I was just wondering...were you mad when I stopped you? Like, were you mad that I tried to help you?" Gaara sighed. He moved his hands and put them on Naruto's shoulders.

"Well, of course. I felt like I had no reason to live and all of a sudden you forced me to stay alive and I felt stuck. I was pissed at you. Back then, I felt like just when I was gonna be free, you turned around and made it harder for me to leave. Everyone would be on suicide watch and I'd be stuck here. I mean, of course I was mad then, but I realized that you only did it because you cared." Naruto smiled and nodded.

"Yea, you were mad for a long time. You didn't talk to me for like three months. It was torture."

"I'm sorry; it took me a while to get over myself. But eventually I did, and here we are now." He smiled, pinching Naruto's shoulders.

Naruto closed his eyes. "I can't wait another three months." he said softly, thinking of Sasuke.

"What?" Gaara asked. "What do you mean?"

"...Nothing." Gaara rose an eyebrow and sighed.

"So this is what you're upset about? Somebody is going through the same thing I did and now they're like pissed off at you or something?"

Naruto bit his lip. Gaara was always pretty perceptive. Not quite like Shikamaru, but still perceptive. "Not exactly what you did, but something like it. And now they're pissed off at me. I just wanted to understand what he was feeling, and who better than you would know?" Gaara nodded."

"Give it time, he'll come around. And it might not take as long as me. I was just being stubborn."

"Yea..." Naruto smiled sadly. He knew Gaara was right, but he didn't think he could wait as long as he did. He wanted to give Sasuke some time and space, but that might make it worse. He'd try to make amends soon, but he'd just have to be patient.

"He guys, you've been over there whispering for the past twenty minutes, come hang with us!" Ino called over to them. Naruto stood and pulled Gaara up with him. He tousled Gaara's hair affectionately, making him pout. Naruto laughed.

"Thanks Gaara. Now, let's go have girl talk with them." he led them over to the desk and joined Sakura and Ino's happy conversation. Hanging with his friends was just what he needed. They always knew just how to make him feel better. Letting out a sigh, he picked up his bag, remembering his assignment. 'Might as well do it now, while I have time'

He sat down on the floor as they talked and pulled out his notebook. Sighing, he titled it and began to write.

_Naruto Uzumaki._

_Analysis._

_Log #3_

_Subject: Sasuke Uchiha._

_Well, things have definetly taken an...interesting turn. He has a lot of problems, the term you taught us for it is Comorbidity. I can't...well I don't really want to say what they are because it feels like i'm invading his privacy. It seems like this project has brought me closer to him and has caused a lot of problems. He's a very moody and stubborn person, and I pretty much have his personality and diagnosis down. I don't know what else to do for this project. All that's left to do is analyze the root of the problems, as you've taught, but with the circumstances, I doubt that'll be possible anytime soon. So for now, the project is on a standstill. Once everything is cleared up, hopefully, I'm gonna ask him if it's okay if I give a full report and all that. You know, patient confidentiality and all. I expected to find something out by doing this, the average teenage/or just plain human stuff like narcissism or egotism or low self-esteem, but this...this is crazy. My first experience at being a psychologists. Let's see how this goes, hopefully I won't screw this up._

Naruto put his book down, closed it and slid it back in his bag. He tuned back into his friends conversation, just as Gaara came to sit next to him, patting his shoulder reasurringly.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys liked it! I've been wanting to introduce Gaara into the story but I was a little iffy, but when a reviewer requested it, that changed my mind! I wanted to add a little Gaara fluff in there, and explain why Kiba thought Gaara liked Naruto(mentioned in chapter 2)and show his personality I hope this one didnt dissapoint. Please tell me what you think and review. :3**

**Sidenote: I'm gonna be starting on a new project soon! It's gonna be college/university like Pulse but not so similar. So I'm gonna start working on that(a request from Kaname-luvr) So yea.:D**


	9. Reconciliation

**A/N: This chapter kicked my bottom T_T. Most of my chapters take me a few hours to write, like 10 or the shortest being 3, this one took 6 days. And 3 hours of proofreading. I really hope you guys like this chapter and that it doesn't dissapoint, I tried my hardest for you guys. Please enjoy it and leave reviews and critism. Oh and thank you guys for all the reviews and critism and follows and faves, etc. I honestly appreciate them. They make me smile :D**

**I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

"Okay class, I'll see you tomorrow, have a nice day!" Everyone began to file out of the room. Naruto grabbed his bag and slung it over his shoulder as he slowly made his way out of the class.

It was a nice day out, slightly windy but sunny. People walked past, smiling and laughing, or talking on the phone. Others rushed off to their respective classes, bumping others on the way. A group of guys played ultimate Frisbee in a large field, while girls sat around enjoying the view of the topless guys. Naruto decided to sit and relax on a nearby bench. He pulled out his phone, checking for any messages. He had one from Kiba.

_Kiba_

_10:16 am._

_Ey, r u goin to Ino's later? We're gettin fucked up again ;D_

Naruto sighed. As fun as that sounded, he just wasn't in the mood to party. Though, getting drunk off his ass would take his mind off of things. In the end, he decided against it.

_Naruto_

_11:48 am._

_Nahh, I'll pass. I'm busy with homework and all that. Exams coming up and all._

He closed his phone and slid it in his pocket. He had too much on his mind to even consider partying. He and Sasuke still haven't spoken yet, and he had a project that needed to be finished. And disregarding that, he was worried _sick_. He was losing his patience, and he was contemplating just going to Sasuke's dorm and talking to him. If he was even there. Naruto let out a frustrated moan and laid his head back, covering his face with his hands. What the hell was he supposed to do?

"Mmmm, here _this_ guy comes. I swear, he's just so sexy it's unfair." A girl breathed to one of her friends.

"Do I look okay? I can't believe you let me out of my room looking like this!" Another girl shrieked.

"You look fine. Besides, he's not looking at us anyway. He could date a fucking model, why would he be looking at us?"

"...Bitch."

"It's true. But God..." She trailed off.

Naruto opened his eyes, his curiosity getting the best of him. About twenty feet away stood none other than Sasuke. He was slowly walking Naruto's way, looking down at his phone. He wore a white fitted long sleeve V-neck shirt and black skinny jeans. His camera hung lazily around his neck and his messenger bag was slung across his shoulder, hitting his hip as he moved. Naruto bit his lip nervously as Sasuke got closer. He hadn't noticed Naruto yet, still looking down at the screen of his phone. Naruto didn't know what to say to him. He wanted to make things better between them, but he was scared Sasuke would just ignore him. From what he could tell, he looked...okay. Not as bad as he'd worried but not the best. He didn't look particularly happy, but at least he was _alive_. That was probably the worst of Naruto's fears he imagined as he sat up worrying about the pale boy. Just as he got to the bench Naruto was sitting on, he locked his phone and slid it in his pocket. He looked up and their eyes locked. Naruto held his breath, waiting for him to say something. His eyes looked empty and tired. There were black bags around them, showing that he hadn't slept much. Naruto couldn't see any other emotion in them other than pure _exhaustion_. They stared for a few seconds, neither making a sound. It was Sasuke who broke away first. He closed his eyes and turned away. He started to walk away. Naruto let out his breath. He couldn't just let him leave.

"Sasuke...?" He called, hesitantly. Sasuke stopped walking, but didn't turn around. "Look Sasuke, can we talk?" Naruto heard him sigh and turn around. He looked defeated. Naruto watched him, waiting. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see those girls from earlier watching curiously.

"I have to get to class." He said quietly.

"I'm sorry." Naruto said softly, clenching his fist. "I was just worried. I still am. Like you wouldn't fucking _believe_" Sasuke brushed his bangs out of his face and looked down. They stood in silence for a few minutes. The tension was _killing_ Naruto. He clenched his fist tighter, afraid that Sasuke would just blow him off. He jumped slightly when he heard Sasuke's voice, suddenly breaking the silence.

"Fine. Let's talk about this later. My class is over at one thirty, just...come to the art room then and we can talk." He looked at Naruto who had a small, sad smile.

"Alright." Naruto watched as Sasuke turned and walked away. He ran a tired hand through his hair. 'Well, It's a start' He thought as he watched Sasuke's retreating form. That was easier than Naruto anticipated, but the worse had yet to come. Naruto could only imagine how their conversation would go. All he could hope was that it didn't go completely awful.

"_Jesus_..." He groaned sadly.

* * *

"Hey...hey...hey..." Sasuke felt a headache coming on. He was _not_ in a good mood and the last thing he needed was Suigetsu annoying him. It'd been a few days since he'd thrown away his pills and he was already feeling the effects of it. He hadn't slept in days and he felt sick. He had been eating lately, which was a plus, but other than that, he felt _awful_. He tried to pay attention to what his Art history teacher was saying, but he could hardly concentrate with his headache on top of Suigetsu poking him with his pen. He turned to face him, annoyed.

"What?" He demanded. Suigetsu smirked and poked him again.

"You look like you're gonna kill somebody, what's up with you?" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe it has something to do with the idiot poking me in the shoulder?" Suigetsu laughed.

"Nooo. Even before then. Something's up." He said, not giving Sasuke room to deny it. Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Things have been better. Things have been worse. I'll deal." Suigetsu quirked a brow.

"Or you could give me a straight answer, but no, I forgot who I was dealing with." He muttered, laying his pen down. Sasuke sighed and checked the time. _12:50_. It was getting dangerously close to the end of class.

He was definitely _not _looking forward to talking to Naruto, but it was inevitable. He could always just not show up in the art room and go hide away in Suigetsu's room or something, but he felt that he should at least hear Naruto out. He was still pissed, but the longer this weighed on his conscious, the worse he would feel. All this anger wasn't good for anyone. Plus, he had a project to finish. He already explained to his professor what he was doing for his project so he couldn't just change it.

Sighing, he laid his head in his hands. He was so tired, and yet he couldn't sleep. God, he needed his medicine. It seemed like those damned anti-depressant did more harm than good. They don't work for shit but when you stop taking them, everything goes to hell. Sasuke let out another tired sigh. 'I'll go get my prescription later' he resolved. At this point, he was considering _anything_.

_'Yea, I'll go smoke some crack or something' _he snorted, sarcastically.

The thing that was really stressing him out was his worry. Sasuke was terrified that Naruto would do something stupid. Maybe he'd tell a friend, or worst, a teacher, and they'd try to 'get him help'. Every time he walked past a group of people whispering, he'd automatically assume they were talking about him.

_'Oh my God, did you hear about that Sasuke guy?'_

'_Wait, you mean the crazy one?'_

_'So you have heard! That guy's fucking crazy!'_

_'I know! What a freak!'_

He could only imagine. Shaking away the thoughts, he laid his head fully on his desk. He _really_ hoped Naruto hadn't told anyone. He wouldn't know how he would react if he did.

"Someone please explain the symbolism and influence that this particular piece has. It is quite simple, if you examine the time period and circumstances in which it was created. Take, for example, the childhood song ring around the rosie. If that song was depicted in art, one would assume that it was about children simply playing a friendly game. Now take into account the time period of Europe in those times and the black plague and what do you get? A picture describing death and how sudden and yet common it came, and just like that, all those little children die."

Sasuke groaned. He _seriously_ wasn't in the mood for this class. Sighing, he closed his eyes, deciding to just zone out for the rest of the time.

* * *

"Hey Kiba, what did Naruto say?" Ino asked, lying back on her bed. She pushed Sakura's head out of her lap, who groaned and turned over.

"He ain't comin'" He answered shortly. "But hey, does anyone know what's been up with him lately? He's been actin' all weird."

Sakura averted her eyes, choosing to look at the wall. She didn't know much, but what she did know, she wasn't sure if Naruto wanted her to tell. Gaara had tried to pry information out of her, mostly just asking for a name. He said he knew something, just didn't know who. She was tempted to trade info with him, but decided against it. Kiba rose an eyebrow.

"You know something, don't you?" Sakura shook her head.

"Nope." Kiba stared, unconvinced. Ino sat up.

"Really? Sakurraaaa, what's wrong with Naruto? If you know something, you should tell us!" She whined. Sakura eyes widened in a sign of innocence.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about."

"Sakura." Ino started, "I can tell when you're lying, we've known each other forever. So stop playing dumb and tell us what's wrong." Sakura shook her head, sighing.

"Look guys, if you want to know what's wrong, ask Naruto. I don't even know what's _wrong_. And what I do know, it's not my place to tell you guys." They stared each other down for what felt like forever until Kiba let out a grunt.

"I guess Sakura's right. He'll tell us when he wants. I hate when he does this though. Hides crap from us and makes us worry. _No_, It's not like were his friends or anything, but whatever. He's such a stubborn bitch."

"Kiba! You have _no_ clue what he's going through right now!" She reprimanded.

"And you do?" He countered. Sakura crossed her arms and sighed.

"Whatever, this is getting us nowhere, we came here to have fun and get drunk, not argue, so can we please just drop it until later?" Kiba nodded.

"Yea whatever. I'm not in the mood to be arguin' anyway. Let's just have some fun. And why don't we invite more people?" Sakura smiled, happy that the conversation was over.

""Kay, I'll call Sai and Hinata and Gaara-"

"Not that weirdo." Kiba cut her off. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Kiba, shut the fuck up. As much as you don't like him, he's gonna be the one who'll supply all the alcohol."

"...Fine..." He muttered, defeated. Who was he to deny free alcohol?

* * *

Each step Naruto took felt heavier and heavier. Right now, it was 1:30, and he was on his way to the art room to meet up with Sasuke. His palms were sweating out of nerves. He was afraid he'd say something stupid, or Sasuke would act irrationally and everything would be ruined. As the art wing came into view, Naruto let out a long shaky breath. He opened the door and stepped in. It was a lot brighter than the last time he came. All the lights were on and music played throughout the building. As he walked down the halls, he saw people in rooms laughing or painting or doing photography. They wore baggy paint splattered t-shirts or ripped jeans and band tees. They all looked so free spirited and carefree. Must be amazing to be an art major, getting to hangout here all day. Sighing, Naruto turned a corner, getting nervous as it began to look familiar. The art room came into sight, the big double doors closed. Naruto stood in front of them for a minute or two until he finally slipped open the door. He closed it softly behind.

It looked twice as crazy as last time. It was midterm time, so projects and paintings were scattered everywhere. Paint brushes and aprons were thrown haphazardly across the counter. Far in the back, Naruto spotted Sasuke, his head down in his arms. It looked like he was sleeping. Slowly, Naruto made his way over to him. He pulled out the stool next to him and sat down. He could tell earlier that Sasuke was exhausted, but he wasn't sure if he should try and wake him up.

"Hi." Sasuke murmured softly, his voice muffled by his arms. Naruto jumped slightly, startled by his voice. Sasuke turned to face him, his eyes dark from lack of sleep.

"Hey." Naruto's leg began to shake, a nervous habit. They sat in silence for a few minutes until Sasuke let out a long sigh.

"So. What is it that you wanted to talk to me about?" His voice sounded uninterested.

"About the other day, what else would I be talking about?" Naruto asked, annoyed with Sasuke's lack of interest.

"Who knows. Sports. Weather. School."

"Sasuke." He said, exasperated. "Can you please not do this?" Sasuke rose an eyebrow.

"Do what?"

"Avoid the topic. I really want to talk about this and make things right." Sasuke snorted.

"Fine." Naruto nodded.

"Look, I'm really sorry if it seems like I was just being nosey, God knows I wasn't I just was _really_ concerned, and I just want everything to be back to normal with us." Sasuke looked away, feeling himself grow even more tired.

"It can never really be 'normal' with us anymore," he started, quietly, "especially _now_ since you know everything. You're going to always try and 'help' me and 'heal' me and all that crap that's never worked before."

"Of course, you can't blame me for wanting to get you help, I'm worried about you. I don't wanna watch you sit here and kill yourself over God knows what, but I still wanna try and be friends and hangout _and_ help you." Sasuke shifted in his seat, turning his attention to Naruto.

"And what if I said I don't want your help?" He tested. Naruto frowned.

"It's not about what you _want_, Sasuke, it's about what you _need_."

"Oh, so now you're going to force me to do something against my will?" Naruto felt himself starting to get annoyed. This was _not_ how this conversation was gonna go.

"We are _not_ about to argue again. _Please_. Just hear me out, okay? I'm not trying to get you sent to a nut house or a rehab or anything, even if you may need it. I just...I want to help you be happy. I..." Naruto stopped, running a hand through his hair, "That sounds really dumb but I know that no one hurts themself for _no reason_, you know? It's always something."

"Ever think that I don't have a reason? I could just be fucking crazy." Naruto sighed.

"You're not. I haven't known you long, but I know you're not crazy. Weird, sure, oddly violent, yea, but you're not crazy. I know it's something that's making you do this to yourself, and I just want to help you get through it." Naruto hoped that his words were getting through to Sasuke. He couldn't tell; Sasuke's expression gave nothing away.

"Just give it up. I'm beyond help. And why I do this is none of your business, so stop trying to make it yours. I can admit, I did overreact the other day, but what the hell did you expect me to do? You can't save everybody." Naruto felt his fists clenching at his sides.

"Don't you think I fucking know that?!" He shouted , angrily. If anyone knew that, it was Naruto. It hurt to hear the words again, words he hadn't heard in such a long time. Sasuke shook his head.

"Obviously not. If you did, you wouldn't be sitting here, wasting your time." Sasuke said, matter-of-factly. Naruto slammed his hand down on the table.

"I'm sick of this! I'm sick of you sitting here and acting like you know me! You just sit there and_ assume _that my life was perfect and _assume_ that I don't know what I'm talking about and _assume_ that you're the only one with problems! Well guess what? You're not. Everyone has problems, and for you to just sit here and look down at me as if your life was _so _hard and mine was fine and fucking dandy just really pisses me off! You don't know me at all! Get over yourself!"

Sasuke felt himself shaking with anger. What the fuck was he trying to say? That his problems were mundane, that they meant nothing? Who the _hell_ did he think he was?

"Are you saying that my problems are nothing? That I'm just doing _this_ to myself for fucking _attention_? For _fun_? You think I want to hurt myself like this? Don't you fucking _dare_ sit here and tell me to get over myself. You don't know what I've been through. My fucking bad if _this_ is the only way I know how to deal! I'm sorry if I don't know what the fuck to do!" He countered, his breathing fast and angry.

"TALK TO ME!" Naruto shouted. "That's what I'm saying! Stop avoiding the problem! Whatever it is you're going through, talk to someone about it! If you just-" Naruto stopped, taking a breath. He felt emotion clouding his voice, making it hard to speak. "If you just hold it all in, it's just gonna kill you one day! You'll hurt yourself like you've been doing, but that won't solve anything. And even if talking doesn't solve anything, it feels good to get all that stuff off of your chest. _Please_ Sasuke, I'm not asking you to tell me your life story. I'm not asking to have a heart to heart or you for you to cry on my shoulder. All I'm asking is that you talk to me. Before you do something stupid, please just talk to me. _Trust me_, I know the pain of not being able to help someone. I don't want to ever have to sit back and watch someone I care about kill themself. I just wanna be there for you._ Please_."

Sasuke felt his anger dissipating. How could he stay angry at Naruto? Maybe he truly did have his best intentions at heart. He sounded so sincere, and the pain in his voice...it sounded so raw. Sasuke gasped as he saw a tear hit the ground. He hadn't even realized that he was crying. Naruto leaned over and wiped it away. Sasuke looked up and saw that Naruto was crying too. The tears looked out of place on his smiling face.

"I'm...I'm sorry. It's just hard. I don't like talking about these things to people. No one has really cared. And I'm sorry for saying those things about you. No one's life is perfect, and you're right, I _don't_ know you. I'm sorry for overreacting and being a moody bitch." He finished. Naruto laughed softly.

"Moody? You've been pmsing all over the place. But yea, let's try to get to know each other better, okay? If we just keep assuming things about each other, were gonna both end up looking like idiots." Sasuke snorted, laughing.

"Idiot, we look like a bunch of idiots right _now_, laughing and crying at the same time." He joked, feeling the tears spilling out faster. Naruto nodded in agreement.

"Heh. Well...we look like freakin awesome idiots! And that's all that matters. But it's okay, I understand why you were being moody. I can only imagine how stressful it was for you to have something like _this _found out about. I'm really sorry for being insensitive and pushing myself on you. I know it takes time to be able to talk openly about it." Sasuke nodded slowly, accepting Naruto's words. He was grateful that Naruto wasn't using the actual words. _Cutting, anorexia, depression…._hearing those words from Naruto's mouth would make it all too real for him. Naruto brushed Sasuke's bang out of his hair and smiled softly. "Now come on moody, I can tell you need a serious nap. Like thirty hours or so." Sasuke looked away.

"Hn. I can't help it; I haven't been able to sleep. Ever since my medicine suffered an unfortunate accident and is now gone, I've been suffering insomnia." He muttered offhandedly.

"An unfortunate accident?" Naruto rose an eyebrow.

"Didn't you know? Prozacs are highly suicidal. They just couldn't take being with me any longer and hopped down my sink. Tragic." Sasuke shook his head, feigning sorrow. Naruto laughed, rolling his eyes.

"I remember earlier you told me you could make any murder look like an accident...or in this case suicide! Come on, I can totally drive you somewhere to go get some more. You need your beauty rest, otherwise you won't have all these girls chasing you. Or was that your plan all along?"

"You caught me. I guess my plan is ruined." He smirked. "But...Naruto?" Naruto looked at him, still wiping tears from his face.

"Yea?"

"Thanks. I know I'm not a particularly easy person to deal with-"

"_That's_ an understatement." Naruto teased. Sasuke glared half-heartedly.

"Whatever idiot. I know I'm not easy to deal with, so thank you. And, maybe sometime we could just talk. We really don't know anything about each other, and you see where baseless assumptions have gotten us. I want to know more about you." Naruto nodded. Suddenly, he pulled Sasuke into a bone crushing hug. After a few seconds, he let go and ruffled Sasuke's hair. A light blush dusted Sasuke's tear streaked face.

"God Sasuke, you've given me so much grief. I would love to get to know each other more; maybe we could do some kind of Q and A? Meh, we'll talk about that when we get there. Now let's go, I don't know when the pharmacy closes." Sasuke nodded and they both stood up, grabbing there bags. As they walked, Naruto smiled and let out a relived breath.

He was ecstatic. He couldn't believe how well everything had gone. Halfway through, he was scared that it would end up like last time, but now it was fine. Everything was gonna be alright.

* * *

Looking out the window, he sighed. He had to admit, the view from this hotel room was magnificent, but he'd much rather be at home. It'd been far too long since he'd visited. He was concerned for his family. His father was probably as crazy as ever, and his brother was just as stubborn as the day he'd been born. Despite what they liked to believe, they weren't as strong as they thought. His brother was so fragile and so broken...that's why he had to protect him. Their moronic father wasn't much help, the pathetic thing he was. He was the definition of weak, even though he tried to put on such a strong front. Both his father and his brother needed him more than they knew, and he wanted to be there for them both. And even though he loved his father, he loved his brother more. He was practically his son, seeing as he raised him for pretty much most of his young life. His well-being took much more priority over his father's, but he still worried for his father.

He loved his job, but he hated how far away it was from his home. Being a neurosurgeon had its perks, money and success being the most, but being such an in demand surgeon kept him away from his home. And even though he was on vacation, he was still on-call, ready to hop on the next flight to Sydney if the situation demanded it. Letting out another long sigh, he laid his head down on the desk, his long hair curtaining around him.

"All that sighing isn't good for you, Itachi." A gruff voice spoke, relaxing on one of the beds in the room. A fellow surgeon and friend, Kisame, had decided to come along with him on his trip home. He'd been anxious to go sight-see in Itachi's home town. Itachi didn't reply, too lost in his thoughts.

Something was nagging in the back of his head, causing him to worry. He hoped his brother was fine. His intuition was telling him that something was up with him, that just maybe he was hurt. For the sake of whoever caused it, he really hoped not, because if he was, someone was going to get_ seriously _injured.

* * *

**A/N: So that's chapter 9, they've made up, and things are good for them. The next few chapters...just refer to them as the calm before the storm ;). I really hope you guys liked it, please tell me what you think and review. Thanks so much for reading! :3**


	10. Prosocial Behaviors

**A/N: He is chapter ten, I really couldn't wait to update it, I can't sleep, so I thought, why not? I tried my best and I really hope you guys like this chapter. At first, I was gonna stick to my layout and give information about their pasts as planned(which is a _long_ way from now, trust me if I told you what chapter guys would murder me) but I decided that it wouldn't hurt to tell at least Naruto's. I couldn't do Sasuke's yet for reasons you'll understand...mostly because it would completely _destroy_ the layout and plan for the rest of the story. You guys will see what I mean pretty soon. But anyway, hope you guys like it, Enjoy! ^-^**

**I don't own Naruto**

_******Prosocial behaviors;** Behaviors that are carried out with the goal of helping other people._

* * *

"Tilt your head back...a little more...good."

_Click Click_

The light from the window shone down on Naruto's face. He watched as Sasuke positioned his camera to get a better shot.

"Which one do you look like the most?"

"Hmm...My mom." Sasuke answered, absently. "And you?"

"I have my dad's hair, my mom's face and eye shape and for color, I have no clue. Neither of their eyes were this blue."

_Click _

Earlier, when they first arrived in the Avance, they sat and talked about random things, just kind of reconnecting with each other. Even though it had only been a few days, it felt like forever. Before they knew it, the conversation had strayed to their parents. Naruto had asked about Sasuke's hair color, which he replied that he got it from his mom, and it all went from there. It felt nice, Naruto mused, to just sit back and talk openly with Sasuke. He wanted Sasuke to open up to him; to spill his heart to him. He had so much bottled up inside him. But that would mean that he'd have to do it first.

Naruto turned his head to the side to watch Sasuke as he crouched behind his camera stand. He was tinkering with the camera and examining photos.

"They are very unique." Sasuke commented, still snapping pictures. "You promised-part your lips a little more...that's good-that you would tell me about them." Naruto smiled softly.

"I did, didn't I? Well I guess that means I have to. Don't judge me if I start to cry." He said, half serious and half teasing to make it easier for him. Sasuke grunted in understanding.

"These things aren't so easy to talk about. I won't judge you, _me _of all people. Besides, I'm quite the emotional person as well. Hmm, your smile shows up beautifully on camera." He mused.

"Haha, I've noticed. I bet you cried on Lassie! Not even the strongest of men can make it through that movie without crying!" He laughed. Sasuke laughed, shaking his head.

_Click_

"You have a nice laugh." He stated. "And no, I didn't cry on Lassie, I've never even seen it."

Naruto gasped dramatically. "Really? We've got to go see that together then. Maybe we can hang out in one of our dorms and watch it." Sasuke nodded, looking at the pictures he'd taken so far. Naruto let out a sigh and looked up.

"You don't want to talk about it? It's fine if you don't..." Sasuke started. He saw the reluctance on Naruto's face. Naruto shook his head.

"It's not that, it's just hard you know? Not even all my friends know all about what happened with my parents; I don't talk about it much. But okay." Sasuke sat down next to Naruto, letting his camera fall lazily against his chest. He pulled his knees in and wrapped his arms around them, resting his head on them and giving his undivided attention to Naruto.

"I'm all ears." Naruto nodded and took a deep breath.

"Well, what can I say? My mom, she was a real spit fire. Very passionate and crazy. She was an amazing person. She was pretty hyperactive and optimistic, and she cared so much for other people, so much that she'd neglect herself. My dad was kinda like her opposite .A quiet, gentle guy. But he was pretty commanding and scary when he needed to be. He loved my mom like crazy. Just watching them smile at each other and laugh made me happy." He smiled sadly, remembering back to that time in his life. He ran a hand through his hair and started again. "We didn't really have family other than us three. My dad's family didn't approve of my mom. They thought he was being dumb, marrying someone with my mom's...problem. Since she was a teenager, she'd been diagnosed with schizophrenia. So you can only imagine what my dad's parents thought of her. And her own parents wanted nothing to do with her. They were like strict Catholics and believed she was possessed and all that. She went completely off handle when they tried to make her get an exorcism. They disowned her, and didn't even go to the wedding. They didn't even want anything to do with me. They said that wanted no part in raising the child of a crazy, possessed whore." Sasuke winced at the bitterness in Naruto's voice.

Who could say that about their own child? Sasuke snorted internally. _'My father could'_. It was terrible that parents could feel such resentment toward their own child. How _anyone_ could feel that way was beyond him. His train of thought ended as Naruto began to speak.

"She would always tell me that the only family we needed was us three. But anyway, she left and ran off with my dad. They got a house together out off the water, far away from everybody. Then they had me and everything was okay. We were a pretty happy and peaceful family. My mom's medicine made her problem seem nonexistent. But as the years went by, the medicine's effectiveness wore off and the voices in her head got worse and worse. They kept telling her to _do things_. Like once, when I was seven, I woke up to my mom sobbing and I snuck downstairs to see what was up. My dad was holding her and cooing and saying everything would be alright. But she kept shaking her head saying 'They want me to kill my baby! I'm not gonna hurt him, I don't want to! Please help me!' and I didn't really understand what she meant by that. Not until a year later at least. I was sleeping and I felt something hovering over me, like a shadow. Something told me to wake up and when I did, I saw my mom, standing over me, crying with a knife in her hand." Naruto felt tears well up in his eyes. These were such painful memories for him, but he felt like he _needed_ to get this off his chest, and he trusted Sasuke to be the one he'd talk to. After all, he did want Sasuke to talk to him, so he couldn't be a hypocrite. He felt a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it reassuringly.

"Naruto, if it's too much for you..." Sasuke started. _'Jesus'_ He thought. He felt like crying with Naruto. The raw emotion on his face was all too much. It hurt. Naruto smiled at him.

"Thanks Sasuke, I'll be fine." He sniffled and wiped his face, trying to recompose himself. He took a deep breath and let it out loudly, his voice shaking slightly with emotion. "She...she looked torn. She kept saying sorry over and over, and I was screaming, I was so young and confused. I kept shouting for her." Naruto could hear his young voice, screaming out for his mom.

_'Mommy! Mommy, I'm scared! MOMMY!'He cried. He wanted nothing more than to hold onto her and cry but he was so confused, and so scared..._

"My dad eventually came in and stopped her but she was never really the same after that. The doctors put her on lithium and she was practically lifeless. She stopped smiling and eating, and eventually, she just stopped talking. The only time she would ever talk was to the voices in her head. I would hear her arguing with them, saying 'I don't want to!' all the time. It was painful. My dad tried his best, but he grew weary and sad and heartbroken. Eventually she just...stopped. She gave up her will to live and just let go. Eventually, she went into a coma and then just…died. I felt so helpless. There was nothing I could do for her and I felt like it was all my fault." Naruto tilted his head back, trying to keep the tears from flowing freely. Sasuke scoffed lightly.

"It's okay to cry, idiot." He said, softly and reassuringly. Naruto chuckled lightly, some tears escaping.

"I know. I just don't wanna. I don't want to look uncool in front of you." Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked back into Naruto's signaling that he could keep talking. Naruto noticed that Sasuke's eyes were filled with tears, but he decided not to say anything.

"This is hard. But yea, so she died and my dad was so broken after that. He took care of me the best he could and loved me with all he had left, but eventually, he just couldn't do it anymore. He tried his best, he really did, but I guess that he felt like he had nothing to live for without my mom. He got weaker and weaker, he was having chest pains, and then eventually he died too. The doctors said that the medical term for it was stress cardiomyopathy, meaning he died of a broken heart." Naruto felt his shoulders shaking as he began to cry harder. Sasuke moved closer to him, laying Naruto's head on his shoulder. "I just-it hurts, like I know they loved me, but it feels like maybe they didn't love me enough, you know? Like their love for me wasn't enough for them to stay here. My mom just gave up, she didn't' even _consider_ how we would feel if she just left us, and then my dad just left. It still hurts...but I guess I forgive them. I do know they loved me and I guess that's enough. People die and life goes on, so I guess that means that I have to, too."

Sasuke ran a hand through Naruto's hair as they sat in silence. All he could think was that he'd found a good friend. Someone who wanted to help him and who was willing enough to spill their heart out and _cry_ in front of him. Who actually trusted him, more than his friend who he knew way longer than he knew Sasuke. He let Naruto cry for a bit, sitting silently and occasionally wiping his own tears. For once, he felt like being strong for someone else, and not worrying about his own problems and messed up life.

"You're a very strong person. Stronger than I could ever wish to be." He said, sighing softly. He heard Naruto sniffle.

"I have to be. I haven't had anyone there to be strong for me. That's why I'm doing psychology. I've always wanted to help people. When my mom was dying, I remember the doctor turning away saying 'You can't save everyone' but that doesn't mean you can't _try_. That's why I wanna try and help as many people as I can. To show that someone actually cares about them" Naruto laughed softly on Sasuke's shoulder, his voice slightly hoarse from crying. "It sounds kinda lame, but what can I say? We all have weird reasons for why we wanna be the things we wanna be."

"It's not lame; it's a really good reason. It's really admirable of you. People need genuine therapists, not ones who're just in it for the money. Ones who actually _care_. You know, if I'd have met a therapist like you when I was younger, maybe I wouldn't have turned out so fucked up." Naruto scoffed and sat up. He brought his hands to Sasuke's face and grabbed his cheeks. Sasuke frowned.

"Shush. You're perfectly fine; you just don't know how to cope as well as others. Which is why I'm here, to help you find a better way than hurting yourself." He said, bluntly. Sasuke averted his eyes.

"Whatever, stubborn idiot. Can you let me go now?" Naruto released his cheeks and smiled brightly.

"Heavy stuff, man." He said, sighing. He felt a lot better letting all that stuff go. He wiped his face on his short, frowning at how wet it was. His eyes burned and he could only imagine how bloodshot they were. But disregarding that, he felt pretty good.

_Click_

He blinked, confused. He hadn't even noticed Sasuke picking up his camera. Naruto huffed and pouted. Sasuke smirked.

"What?" He asked innocently. "I couldn't help it. That was probably the best picture by the way. You look really...happy." Sasuke finished, smiling.

"You've gotta stop getting these random pictures! Sexiness like this takes time to capture; you can't get it in candid shots!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Whatever. The last time we tried to go for a 'sexy' shot, you ended up looking constipated." He teased. Naruto pouted.

"Mehh. And for someone who always compliments my smile, you should smile more. It looks really nice." He poked Sasuke's cheek. He sniffled and hiccupped, still feeling the after effects of crying. He hated how long it took to wear off.

"It looks weird. And I'm supposed to compliment you, I'm a photographer, I have to be honest. Don't worry, I'll tell you when something's not good. Though I doubt I'd have that problem." Naruto rose a curious brow.

"And why is that? I know that I'm gorgeous and all that but I have my moments."

"Didn't we already talk about this? You're very photogenic. But if it makes you feel any better, I'll try to get an ugly shot." He rolled his eyes and let his camera fall against his chest. He winced for the third time today. He kept forgetting about the bruise there, since he was so used to just letting his camera fall when he was done.

Naruto shook his head. "You know, one day you could be honest. Like how when we first talked...or was that the second time? Well anyway, you called me 'beautiful' which was really...odd. Not to mention _embarrassing _but that you didn't feel that way. You speak in a photographer's point of view. It's kinda of cool...and confusing."

"I could see how it could be confusing. I used this girl for a shoot once and told her that she looked amazing in the pictures, but obviously that translated to 'I love you and I want to make you my wife and have twenty kids' in her head. I had the _worst_ time shaking her."

"Well of course, you have to watch what you say. It could give people false hope..."He muttered, pouting. Sasuke rose a brow and scoffed.

"Don't tell me that _you _like me now?" He asked, incredulously and with an edge that sounded slightly hysterical. Naruto's eyes widened.

"Um well I-"

**_Hello Daddy, hello Mom _**

**_I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb!_**

**_Hello world I'm your wild girl _**

**_I'm your ch ch ch ch ch cherry bomb!_**

'Sakura!' Naruto cried internally ."Eh, sorry, it's Sakura, She's probably worried about me." He laughed nervously." He flipped open his phone to check the text. Sasuke let his gaze linger for a bit and looked off.

"Well whatever. You better go hang out with your friends. You've been spending too much time with me, I'm sure they feel neglected." Naruto looked up and smiled.

"Yea, Sakura was just wondering 'bout me. I guess I should, but I've been having so much fun with you!" He whined teasingly. Sasuke scoffed.

"You'll live idiot, there's always tomorrow, since _obviously _I don't have a social life." He finished sarcastically. Naruto grinned and laughed.

"You're right, there's always tomorrow." He smiled as he wiped his eyes. That was the best thing he'd heard all day.

* * *

"This place abouta' blow-oh-oo-o-o-oh oh oh!"

"Ughh, my ears are bleeding!"

"Whatevs, you know you love my singing!"

Sakura swung her bags back and forth as she walked through the mall with Naruto in tow. It'd been a while since they hung out, so she was a little surprised when he showed up at her dorm and offered to take her out for fun. She was happy to see that he looked better. He was smiling brightly and practically _glowing_. Well, someone must've gotten lucky last night. Seeing as he wasn't gonna bring it up, Sakura decided to take the initiative.

"Soooo. I'm just gonna come right out ask it. Are things good with you and Sasuke?" Naruto smiled at her.

"Yea. Everything's all good now." Sakura waited for him to elaborate. She frowned when she saw that he wasn't gonna say anything more.

"Naarrutooo! Come on, give me some details! Did you guys fight and have passionate makeup-sex?" Naruto's face went red and he gaped.

"Wha-No! We just talked it out. I mean we did argue and I thought it wasn't gonna go well but everything's cool now. Perv." Sakura laughed and swung her bags.

"Well that's good. I was getting tired of trying to keep Ino and Kiba's curiosity at bay."

Naruto rose an eyebrow. "They were asking about me?"

"Of course. They were worried about you. And pissed off at you for not telling them anything." Naruto laughed sheepishly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Heehee, my bad, I feel like such a jerk now! But I didn't wanna tell them because they'd be all 'Tell me what's wrong with him' and I doubt Sasuke would appreciate that." Sakura nodded as they kept walking.

Honestly, Sakura's curiosity was _killing_ her. She _really_ wanted to know what this big secret was that made Naruto so depressed. Naruto wasn't one to over react, so it had to be something big. Was Sasuke a junkie? A prostitute? In the mafia? So many possibilities came in her mind as she thought it over. She had to admit, she was mostly curious because it was _Sasuke_. Sasuke Uchiha, the beautiful, mysterious, photography major that everyone wanted yet knew nothing about. She'd never even heard his voice, but she could only imagine how sexy it must be. And she was slightly jealous that Naruto had gotten so close to him. But she knew that she had no chance with him, so she couldn't really be mad at him. She just couldn't help it; it was something about him that just drew people to him. His effortless look that created so much sex appeal. It made her wonder if he _really_ knew just how gorgeous he was. She would like to get to know him, though, which gave her a great idea.

"Hey Naruto?"

Naruto looked up, his big blue eyes staring curiously. "Yea?"

"You should bring Sasuke to hang with us sometime. I wanna meet this friend of yours."

"Pfft, you just wanna try to get a date with him. And knowing Ino she'd be all over him. Buuut…that sounds like a good idea actually. He needs to get out more." He muttered the last part to himself. Sakura smiled.

"Good, then all you gotta do is let us know what he says. And I'm not trying to get with him, he's _obviously_ gay." Naruto threw his hands up in the air dramatically.

"That's what I said! But noooo, he claims he's not. If you ask me, I think he has no sexuality." He teased. Sakura laughed.

"Well, if you looked as good as him, nobody would be good enough. But I want to get to know him. If you're cool with him, than he must be an alright person." Naruto nodded.

"Yea he's pretty cool. A lot...different than I expected. Definitely different than _anything_ you could expect. He's a weirdo." They walked together to the food court and found a table.

They went their separate ways for a bit, Sakura going to find a quick salad to eat, and Naruto looking for the biggest, greasiest burger humanly possible. Once they got their food, they met back up at the table to sit down and eat. They sat in silence, making comments here and there about the food, but mostly eating. Once they finished, Sakura slammed her hands down on the table, smiling happily. Naruto rose a brow as he wiped his ketchup covered face.

"Alrighty! Our plan of action! Ino's birthday in a few days and I wanted to buy her something special...her favorite." Sakura smiled evilly. Naruto's eyes widened as he slid his chair back.

"Sakura...you don't mean-"

"That's right Naru, I mean ShowGirl's Lingerie!" She laughed at Naruto's frightened expression. _ShowGirl's Lingerie_. It was so frilly and lacy and girly, the horror! Every time Naruto went in there, he always ended up getting slapped and called a pervert, but it wasn't his fault. He figured that he'd look weird just standing there, so he perused the clothes just like everyone else. _'When in Rome'. _He thought to himself. But obviously women didn't like him standing there examining thongs like a 'psycho creepy rapist pervert' or so he'd been called, and he'd always end up getting slapped.

"Oh _come on_, it's not that bad! Just don't go through the thongs like a creeper! I'll even let you have fun in the lingerie." She sing-songed. Naruto pouted.

"Sak, why in the world would I wanna play in linge..." He trailed off as he got a bright idea. Smiling, he stood up. "Alrighty then, let's go!" Sakura rose an eyebrow at Naruto's sudden enthusiasm but didn't question him. Whatever got him there faster.

* * *

Sasuke unlocked his door and threw his stuff into his room. Closing and locking the door, he collapsed onto his bed and sighed. He was _exhausted_. At least he was sleeping, ever since he got back on his Prozac. He had been busy all day. After hanging out with Naruto and getting some more shots for his project, he had and art history paper to write. Then, one of his classmates had asked if he could use him as a model for a bit. Sasuke was a little reluctant. He was not photogenic, in the_ least_. When he complained about that, his classmate only laughed. He told Sasuke that he was the most photogenic person he'd ever seen. Sasuke wanted to argue that but decided to just give in. If that guy wanted horrible pictures for his project, then so be it. It wasn't his problem. After that, he had a painting to finish for another art class, and _another_ project for his 3D design class. When he was finally done, he felt completely drained.

He threw an arm over his face, too tired to turn off the light. He felt a sad smile form on his face as he thought back to his time with Naruto. He couldn't believe that Naruto had to go through that. After hearing Naruto's story, he felt _awful_. Awful for _ever_ saying that Naruto didn't understand what he was going through, and awful about his self for being so fucking _weak_. Naruto moved on with his life while Sasuke was still stuck in the past. He was so pathetic it hurt. Why couldn't he be as strong as Naruto, why couldn't he be _normal_? He'd been trying his best. He was actually eating more than he had been, which wasn't saying much but it was a start. He'd been taking his anti-depressants and hadn't cut in a while. He'd only thrown up twice this week, and yet he still felt so _pathetic_. He heard the sound of his phone vibrating and went to get it out of his bag. Stretching, he reached down and dug through his bag, his face brightening at the number.

_**Itachi**_

Quickly, he typed in his code and tapped answer.

"Hey." He answered, happily.

"Sasuke, are you okay?" Sasuke was taken aback by Itachi's question. He sounded worried. Did something happen?

"...Yes? Should I not be?" He heard Itachi sigh and laugh on the other end.

"Ah, sorry, I was just worried. How are you then?" Itachi asked softly.

"I'm fine. But what's going on with you? When'll you be home?"

"Soon, soon. I'm just finishing up my business here and then I'll drive down to Lemingway. I'm only about an hour away."

"Where are you now?

"I'm in Baiton. My business partner wanted to visit here and he'll be staying at a hotel here until I leave for Sydney. He didn't want me to leave until we went sight-seeing." He laughed softly in the phone. Sasuke smiled. It was god to hear his brother's voice again.

"Okay. But when you drive down, before you go to Lemingway, I'm gonna need a way home. Can you pick me up?"

"What happened to your car?" Itachi asked, bemusedly.

"Accident." And by accident, he means that, on one of his particularly bad days, he drove it off the road in an angry daze. It was a horrible time for him, probably one of the lowest.

"...Right." Itachi sounded unconvinced. "But I was going to pick you up anyway, that's why I called. How does Saturday sound?"

Sasuke smiled. "Sounds perfect." He heard Itachi sigh exasperatedly and say something to someone else in the background.

"Alright we'll I'll see you then. Love you, and stay safe." he said sternly.

"Whatever. Love you too." he hung up the phone and tossed it on the bed. That made him feel better. He was happy that he was going to see his brother soon, but terrified at the same time. He didn't want to face his father. As emotionally exhausting as this week has been, he didn't think he had it in him. He just couldn't take it. It would be better, since Itachi would be there, but still painful. There wasn't much he could do about it, if he got to see his brother, then he'd just grin and bear it, and try his best not to break down. The thought of even being in that house made him feel sick. There would be so many family pictures around. Pictures of them smiling and pretending to be a big happy family.

_'What the fuck ever. Happy family my ass.' _He got up and walked to the bed as he heard another short vibration coming from his bed. This time it was a text. He typed in his code and rose an eyebrow at the name.

_**Naruto**_

Rolling his eyes, he clicked on the text and opened it. He coughed and choked on his breathe, laughing. It was a picture of Naruto wearing a bra that came out into a point at the end with tassels hanging from the tip. He wore the most ridiculous expression, probably his take on 'seductive' Sasuke assumed.

_**Naruto**_

_8:12 pm_

_Mhmmm boy, ain't I sexy? You wish you had a body like mine ;p_

Sasuke rolled his eyes, lying back on his bed. He rose an eyebrow at the tribal tattoo that adorned his stomach. It looked...pretty good.

_**Sasuke**_

_8:13 pm_

_I like it, an improvement from those granny panties you were wearing last time. Sexy._

_**Naruto**_

_8:14 pm_

_Good, I bought it just for you! :D maybe we can try it out sometime ;) R we still hangin out tomorrow?_

_**Sasuke**_

_8:15 pm_

_Anytime, so long as you buy the matching thong. And sure, I don't have any classes tomorrow anyways._

**_Naruto_**

_8:16 pm_

_Heck yea! Kay, cuz I found an awesome place to hang out at I think you'll like. And no heavy shit tomorrow, just pure, unadulterated, six year old fun! ;D_

**_Sasuke_**

_8:17 pm_

_Oh Lord, I hope you're not taking me to Chuck E Cheese or something? And I'm gonna have to talk to you later, I can hardly keep my eyes open._

**_Naruto_**

_8:18 pm_

_...No...of course not! And dude it's only eight! Well I can't complain, I'm exhausted like you wouldn't fucking believe, I just can't sleep because I have SO MUCH HOMEWORK! But whatever. Sweet dreams. Get you beauty rest, 'kay? Don't make me come over there and sing you a lullaby. I'm pretty good on guitar and my voice isn't half bad :3_

**_Sasuke_**

_8:20 pm_

_I'm good, I'll be sleep the second I put my phone down. But I might take you up on that offer, so you better have a good song for me. Good night._

Sasuke sighed and put down the phone, smiling. He could hardly keep his eyes open. Naruto's texts were enough to get his mind off of his father and let him sleep peacefully. Slowly, his eyes closed and his breathing even out as he fell asleep, sleeping the best he had in a long while.

* * *

**A/N: So there's chapter ten. Heavy stuff man. I hope you guys liked it, I just couldn't wait a week to update. Please review, and tell me what you think :3 thank you for reading! Critism is Highly welcomed**

**Sidenote: "_People die and life moves on, so I guess that means i have to, too_" That was the final line of my memoir for a class project. I was re-reading it the ther day and I realized that it would _really_ fit in Naruto's explanation. Also, It's nice to see my chapters are getting longer! I can't believe how short the first few were, geez. But anyway...bai. ^m^**


	11. Judgement

**A/N: Hi guys. So here is 11, I hope you guys like it. It's kind of a filler of sorts, but 12 definintely won't be. it's been a rough week so I didn't have much inspiriration for this chapter and was kind of procrastinating. But don't worry, everything from now on should be...crazy. Which for this story is good :D So yea, please enjoy! Also, I really appreciate the faves and follows and reviews, thanks so much! .**

**I don't own Naruto**

_******Judgment:** The process by which people form opinions, reach conclusions, and make critical evaluations of events and people based on available material; also, the product of that mental activity._

* * *

"Hey Sasuke, what're you gonna be creating for us today?" Karin asked as he pulled out a canvas. He pulled up a stool and sat down, staring blankly at the canvas and biting his lip in concentration. Karin sighed. She doubted he was aware of the _effect _he had on people. Just him biting his lip was enough to get Karin going. She stood next to him and waited.

"Not sure, I'm just here to past time." He pulled out his iPod and unwrapped the headphones, sliding one in his ear and letting the other one hang freely down his chest. Karin pulled up a stool next to him and watched as he scrolled through his song list.

"Alesana, nice choice." She commented, smiling. Sasuke nodded in agreement and slid his iPod in his pocket. He picked up the water color paints and sat them of the front of the canvas. He didn't need anything to protect his clothes; they were already covered in paint anyway. He picked up a brush and dipped it in water, stoking it across the paper. He began mixing some colors with water and leaving others dry. Once he finished, he dipped his brush into the paint and began.

Karin always found it fascinating to watch him paint. He'd look so focused as he lightly stroked the brush across the paper. It was amazing to watch his work come together; from the single first stroke to the very last one that brought it all together. He used ink for most of the painting, using it to draw the picture and the abstract background. It was a picture of a tree covered in flowers. It looked like some kind of cherry blossom tree. At the bottom, soft strokes that appeared to be grass came together at the tip of the tree. But what caught her attention the most was the light set of eyes in the background, drawn so light you could barely see them. Sasuke began to fill in the flowers with an intense pink color and color the grass with a watery green. The colors ran together beautifully. He stopped to examine it, and hummed in approval. He picked up a palette of greens and blues, using them to color in the eyes. He used an electric sapphire blue and detailed it with specks of lighter blues and soft greens. Karin felt as if the eyes were staring into her soul, they were...it was _beautiful._

"Sasuke..." She gasped." Why the _hell _aren't you an art major? This is...amazing!" Sasuke shrugged and kept painting, filling in leaves with different shades of watered-down greens.

"I just do this for fun. Photography is what I really want to do." He answered simply. Karin couldn't deny Sasuke's photography skills. He always knew how to capture the perfect shot and bring out the beauty in everything. It was crazy how good he was at it. She sighed and watched as he painted, but she couldn't stop staring at the alluring set of eyes he'd drawn. She jumped as a loud voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Sasuke! Come on, my class is over, and I'm ready to go~~!" Someone sing-songed happily. She looked across the room to the door to see the blond guy who'd been looking for Sasuke a few weeks back. He leaned against the door frame, smiling brightly, waiting for Sasuke.

"Obviously." Sasuke drawled, sarcastically. The guy at the door laughed softly, walking over to them, stopping in front of the canvas. He looked at her and smiled.

"Hey, you're that red hair girl from last time." he commented as Sasuke got up to clean the brush and put up the paint. She nodded, feeling herself smiling as she took in his eyes. They were the same color as the ones Sasuke'd painted, right down to the soft specks of greens.

"Yea, my names Karin, a classmate of Sasuke's." She cocked her head to the side, examining him.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Naruto." He smiled at her and looked over to see what Sasuke was doing. He clicked his tongue impatiently. "Can't you just leave the brushes for later or something?" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"That's how paint brushes are ruined. Be patient, I'm almost done. Chuck E Cheeses isn't going anywhere." He teased. Naruto pouted but didn't reply. Karin rose an eyebrow.

"Are you guys actually going there?" She asked incredulously.

"Didn't you know?" Sasuke started, wiping his hands on his pants. "Naruto likes to go there to pick up little kids. Especially the little boys, he loves those ones."

"Hey! I prefer the little girls, they don't put up as much of a fight." Sasuke laughed, grabbing his bag and sliding it across his shoulder. Naruto grabbed his camera off the table and slid it over Sasuke's head, moving parts of his hair out of the way. "There now we can go!" Naruto cheered. Sasuke scoffed and waved goodbye to Karin as he followed Naruto out of the art room.

Karin sat on the stool, a slight blush on her cheeks. She couldn't believe how _cute_ those two were together! _'Does that mean Sasuke's off the market?!'_ She cried internally. She never pegged him as gay, but if he was, that would explain _a lot_.

* * *

"Me…Meru…ru _what?_" Naruto squinted at the screen, confused.

"Yameiro Meruru Orehime-sama. It's not that hard to read idiot." Sasuke put in two quarters into the _Dance Dance revolution_ machine and hit start.

"Whatever, why does all these games have to be in Japanese anyway?" Naruto put in his two quarters and hit start." But whatever, prepared to get _owned_! I don't mean to brag but, uhmm, I'm kind of an awesome dancer." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to be a dancer to jump around on some arrows. Besides, I'm pretty good at this game." He clicked on the song. "This song is under the _Insane_ level. You think you can handle it?" Naruto smiled.

"Hell yea! Bring it on, Uchiha." The song started and they stood, waiting. Suddenly, arrows began to fly across the screen. Naruto gaped and tried to keep up. "What the-? Whoa! How the-how the hell is anybody s'posed to keep up?" he jumped back and forth, struggling to keep up. Sasuke hit all the arrows, smiling confidently.

"What was that about you being a great dancer?" The song ended and they stopped, Naruto crouched over to catch his breath. The score came up, Sasuke with two million and Naruto with five hundred. It was a total blowout.

"I demand a rematch, I wasn't even ready!" Sasuke laughed, pulling out some more quarters.

"Okay, but I don't mean to brag but, uhmm," He started,putting a hand to his chin mocking Naruto, "I'm kind of an awesome dancer." Naruto crossed his arms.

"Ohhh, so that's how it is? Well then, I'm gonna have to bring you down." He scrolled through the song list, picking the hardest song. He clicked start and they stood, waiting for the barrage of arrows that were going to come.

* * *

Naruto knocked loudly on Gaara's dorm, the sound of music pouring out in the halls. He figured today was better than any to introduce Sasuke to his friends. He was in a good mood, and he'd been doing pretty well this week. Behind him, Sasuke leaned against the rail, his head resting tiredly against the wall. His foot tapped lightly to the music. Naruto smiled, brushing Sasuke's bangs out of his face. Sasuke made a whining noise.

"Wake up Mr. Sleepy head. You're gonna need a lot of energy to deal with my crazy friends." He ran his hand through Sasuke's hair, ruffling it.

"I'll be fine." He muttered. The door opened and Sakura stood in a large gray beater, red basketball shorts and her hair a wet, tangled mess. Her eyes widened in surprise and horror. She reached over and grabbed Naruto's hand, pulling him down so she could whisper in his ear.

"Naruto, I didn't know you were coming_ today_, what the fuck? I look _awful_! And Ino's gonna kill you!" Naruto laughed, stepping back.

"Well _hello_ to you too Sak. I texted you, by the way, like a half hour ago. Oh and yea, this is Sasuke, say hi, Sasuke." He pulled Sasuke up from the rail and threw an arm around his waist. Sasuke gave Naruto a look, then turned to Sakura.

"Hey." He said, nonchalantly. Sakura smiled, attempting to fix the tangled mess on her head.

"Hey, nice to finally meet the person Naruto's been spending all his time with."

"I told him he was neglecting his friends." He turned to Naruto, poking him in the arm.

"Well come on in, we're all just hangin around in here." She stepped aside, letting Naruto and Sasuke step in. "Ino's gone fuck you upppppp~~" She sing-songed as Naruto walked past. Naruto laughed, already anticipating Ino's reaction.

All his friends lay scattered across the room. Kiba and Shikamaru were stretched out on the floor, playing a game. Sai, Hinata, and Gaara were crowded on Gaara's bed, talking idly. A Slayer song blasted out through the speakers. Gaara looked up, raising a curious brow. Sakura had said that Naruto would be bringing Sasuke one day, but he hadn't expected it to be so soon. Kiba noticed Naruto and stood up, crossing his arms.

"Dude, where the hell have you been man? It's been for-fucking-ever since we've hung out man! I had to play Blackops by myself! Those other teams completely _owned _my ass and-oh hey I didn't know you brought somebody." Kiba stopped, just noticing Sasuke standing there. Naruto smiled, bringing a hand to his neck.

"Yea um, I'm sorry man, I've been busy and all, and that's your fault, you're not s'posed to be playing alone! You freakin suck! But yea, this is Sasuke." He pulled Sasuke in front of him, smiling happily. "Say hi, Sasuke!" He repeated. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I wasn't aware that I was six years old." he muttered. He turned his attention to Kiba. "Hey." he said casually. "Didn't I have a class with you?" Kiba nodded slowly.

"Uhh, yea, oh and sorry about that time, you know when you totally scared the crap outta me." He said awkwardly. It felt odd trying to talk to Sasuke. Suddenly, Sasuke smirked.

"I remember that. It's fine, it was amusing to watch you nearly shit your pants. Made my day." Naruto laughed when Kiba pouted, crossing his arms. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand and pulled him to the center of the room.

"Ah okay, so that's Shika, this is Kiba, the black haired guy is Sai, the redhead is Gaara, that girl is Hinata, and you've already met Sakura, and Ino will be out shortly. By the way," He began to unbutton Sasuke's coat. "Take this off, it defeats the purpose." Sasuke scoffed but took his coat off anyway. He wore a V-neck long-sleeve red t-shirt and black damaged skinny jeans. Naruto had made him change earlier, saying that he wanted to tease Ino and Sakura. He just did as he was told, figuring that it would be easier to just not argue with him. The sound of the bathroom door made Naruto look up, smiling. Ino was coming out in the Rolling stones shirt she wore last time and fuzzy pajama shorts. Her hair was in a high bun on top of her head. She wiped her eyes, and stepped out, smiling happily.

"Naru, I didn't know you were come-"She stopped, noticing Sasuke's presence. Her eyes widened and horror and she quickly ripped her hair out of its bun and ran her hands through it. "U-umm, h-ey, nice to meet you, I'm Ino." She walked up to Sasuke. Naruto snickered in the background. "What the hell's so funny _Naruto_?" She asked menacingly. Naruto threw up his hands, feigning innocence.

"Nothing, you look _fabulous_ Ino." He teased. She gave him the evil eye and sat angrily on the couch. Sasuke shrugged and sat next to her, making her blush. Naruto plopped down next to them laying his head back. "Man, I'm _exhausted_!" he groaned. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"That's because you insisted on playing DDR for three hours."

"Well I couldn't let you win. Which you cheated by the way! I should've known you'd win, since you're all Asian and stuff." Naruto huffed.

"Ah, so you're Asian?" Ino asked, smiling brightly. She could see the Asian in him, but not a lot. Sasuke nodded.

"Yea, well half at least. I'm Korean. And me being Asian doesn't have anything to do with it, Naruto. You just suck."

"Hey! That game is freakin insane!"

"Oh yea, jump around on some arrows to the directions they give you on screen. How difficult." Sasuke drawled sarcastically. Ino laughed at Naruto's expression. It was cute, watching them bicker. She looked over at the sound of the bed creaking and saw Gaara standing up, stretching. She pursed her lips. Naruto didn't notice, partly because he was _him_ and he was so _blind_, but Gaara was _crazy_ over him. He had it bad. She could only imagine how he felt, seeing Naruto and Sasuke practically cuddled together on the couch. She watched as he walked to the couch, staring blankly. Naruto looked up, grinning.

"Gaara! I was wondering when you were gonna come over here. What's up?" Gaara didn't reply, instead looking at Sasuke. Sasuke looked back at him curiously. He could see the dragon tattoo on Gaara's back. It was pretty cool. Looking him up and down, Sasuke found himself smiling. Everything about Gaara brought out his painter's and photographer's desire. He found himself really wanting to paint him, capturing his odd aura.

"Nice tattoos," He started, "You know, you look kind of demented, and kind of alluring. And your eyes...it makes me want to paint you." He finished. Naruto face palmed as Gaara stared, confused.

"Sasuke, I told you you can't talk like that, it confuses people." He sighed. "Don't listen to this weirdo." Everyone in the room was staring at Sasuke as if he'd grown a second head. Sasuke ignored them, still looking at Gaara.

"Hey, um, I know this is kind of personal but uh, are you...you know...gay? I mean, you don't have to answer if that's _too_ personal." Ino asked hesitantly. She had to admit she was a little curious. If he was, that completely destroyed any chances she had with him. Sasuke shrugged.

"No. Well not that I know of at least."

"You're definitely not straight~~"Naruto teased. "He's a fence sitter!" He laughed.

"Idiot." Ino looked over at Sakura, who shrugged confused. She was just as lost as Ino. Sasuke was as weird as Naruto had said. It was definitely surprising, and _way _different than what she was expecting. It was actually pretty interesting. His voice was a lot sexier than she'd imagined, which was a plus. It was deep and yet light at the same time. She wanted to hear him talk some more. She walked over to the couch, sitting down at Ino's feet

Gaara looked away from Sasuke, plopping down in Naruto's lap. He _really_ didn't like how close Sasuke was to Naruto. Those touches were starting to piss him off. He decided that he didn't really like Sasuke. He rubbed him the wrong way, not to mention he just told him that he looked _crazy_. He wrapped an arm around Naruto's neck, laying his head down on his shoulder.

"So Sasuke, tell us a little about yourself." Sakura started, smiling. "Like, you said you were half Korean, what else are you?"

"Armenian." He answered.

"Ohh, that's exotic." Ino purred, wrapping a hand around Sasuke's arm. "Were you born here?"

"No, I was born in Armenia, but when war broke out, my family fled from our tiny village, leaving all our goats and chickens. We swam to freedom and hopped the border." Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Shush. Yes, he was born here." He answered Ino. Ino nodded.

"Well you're no fun." Sasuke teased. Naruto laughed, the vibration making Gaara shake. Sakura watched Sasuke, looking for any signs of...well _anything_. She was still curious about this secret of his, but she couldn't come out and ask him. Sighing, she decided not to think about it. Looking at Gaara, she frowned. She could tell that Naruto liked Sasuke, but Gaara sitting on his lap was definitely sending off the wrong message. Sasuke didn't look like he minded much, but he must've thought _something _about it. She locked eyes with Gaara, a message passing between them.

_'Gaara, what the hell?'_

_'What? I don't see anything wrong with sitting here, I do it all the time' _He tightened his grip on Naruto's neck and looked away. Sakura sighed. This guy was _hopeless_. Kiba sat back down, crossing his legs.

"So far you don't seem bat-shit crazy like those weirdo art majors. Something's gotta be off here...do you have like a third nipple or something?" He joked. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Dude, if you do, you _have_ to get it pierced or something, that'd be epic. You could become a stripper and they could call you something like...uh…" Naruto brought a hand to his head in thought.

"Mr. three nubs?" Kiba offered. Naruto laughed.

"Yes! That's perfect!" He threw a hand over Sasuke's shoulder, laughing. Sasuke shook his head. "Do you like that, Mr. three nubs?"

"I've always seen myself as an Officer Showers or Sprinkles. Not really a fan of piercings, but whatever gets me more money. Bitches love piercings...or so I've heard" Ino snorted, covering her mouth as she laughed.

"Ah, you're funny man! You should hang with us more often! I'd be awesome if you played some COD with us, somebody needs to kick Naruto's ass, I swear he thinks he's the best gamer since fucking ever!" Naruto stuck his tongue out at Kiba. Kiba flipped him off.

"'Cause it's _true_! I'm still un-de-fea-ted!" He cheered.

Sasuke snorted, rolling his eyes. "_Please,_ I could probably kill you in the first five minutes. I don't play much, but when I do, shit gets real." Naruto pouted, crossing his arms.

"You're on! We'll have a death match! I'll even go easy on you guys!" Kiba announced. Ino rolled her eyes, still laughing at them. She kept trying to pay attention to the conversation, but her eyes were drawn to the nice view of skin she was getting from the front of his shirt. She could see Sakura staring out of the corner of her eye. Smiling wickedly, she held on tighter to Sasuke's arm, pulling herself closer. She was pressed against his side now, her knee touching his. Mentally, she laughed, imagining the expression on Sakura's face.

"Sooo. Sasuke, I hear you're a photography major? You should show us some of your pictures sometime." Ino suggested. Sasuke shrugged

"Hmm, I guess that would be fine. Just when I'm not so busy. Right now, I'm working on a project, and Naruto is my model."

Sakura rose an eyebrow, curiously. "Naruto? What's the subject for, the most untalented model?"

"_Har har_, you're cool." Naruto pouted. Sasuke gave him a teasing smile.

"As true as that it is, my subject was beauty. It was a pretty open subject, and I could've done scenery or abstract like I've been doing but I wanted to try something different, so I decided to use him."

"Eh? What made you use him?"

"Let me shorten up the story for you guys," Naruto cut in, smiling. "The first time we talked, he was all _'Yo face. I like that shit'_ and asked me to be his project so I said I guess and here we are."

"_Yes_. Because that's exactly what I said." Sasuke teased sarcastically.

"I could just tell them what you really said, which was kind of _weird _and _embarrassing_. Well, mostly because it was like the first time we ever talked and I wasn't used to your...weirdness yet."

"It takes time."

Naruto rolled his eyes, smiling happily. He was pretty happy that Sasuke was getting along with his friends. He was being his usual weird self, which was a good thing. When they first came, Naruto was afraid that Sasuke would be kind of stand offish to them. Or worse, Sakura would question him about what happened the other day or his friends would bring it up and Sasuke would get angry all over again. But things were going good and it seemed like Sasuke liked his friends. Maybe they could all hangout more often.

"So I hear Naruto's been using you for his psych project? He's always been a fan of the crazies." Gaara said casually.

..

...

...

_What_?!

"Gaara!" Naruto said, surprised. Gaara ignored him.

"Has he found anything yet?" He asked, a hint of teasing in his voice. Sasuke smirked, not fazed by Gaara's questions. He'd already caught on to the fact that this Gaara kid had some kind of crush on Naruto, obviously by the way he was clinging to him, and must've saw him as a threat. It was too _cute_. He shrugged, nonchalantly.

"Not that I'm aware of. Though that would explain why Naruto hangs around me so much, after all I'm am as fucking crazy as they come." Gaara frowned. Sasuke found himself trying not to laugh. This was amusing. He couldn't even get mad at the little guy. His bitchy, over-territorial-ness just made it all the more cute. Naruto sighed loudly.

"Sasuke, we've alre-"

"So tell me, what are you? I'm not of fan of letting Sunshine hang around with weirdos." Gaara cut Naruto off. This Sasuke kid was getting way too comfortable around Naruto. He needed to knock him down a bit. Sasuke smirked darkly.

"Hmm, I don't think that's any of your business, don't you agree?" His phone vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, he opened it to see an angry text from Suigetsu, telling him about a project they had to finish. He stood up, stretched, and grabbed his coat. "I have to go now though, I have an art project to finish up today or my partner's going to kill me. We can finish this fun conversation some other time though, if you want. You coming?" He asked, motioning to Naruto. He seriously hoped so, just to see the look on the redheaded midgets face.

"Uh, yea I guess." He slid Gaara off his lap. He stood up, grabbing his bag off the floor. "I'll see you guys later then? Kiba we have some COD to catch up on." He said quickly, smiling nervously. He opened the door as Sasuke followed behind him. Sasuke turned around, giving Gaara the middle finger salute and stepped out, closing the door.

Everyone stood in the Gaara's room, not making a sound. Suddenly, Sakura stood up, slapping Gaara in the back of the head.

"What the hell!" She yelled, annoyed. "That was really mean!"

"_What_? I didn't like the guy. I don't think I did anything wrong. He was a complete douche." Sakura groaned, turning away.

"You're impossible." She went over to the bed, sitting down. Hinata smiled softly.

"He seems like a good person." She said quietly. Kiba nodded.

"Yea, a little odd, but damn Gaara! I know you got it for Naruto but _geez_. Way to scare the guy away." Kiba muttered. Shikamaru sighed, speaking for the first.

"You guys are all troublesome. I doubt Sasuke's scared away or anything, at the most he probably just got annoyed."

"Yea! You messed up my chances! He was totally feeling me!" Sakura rolled her eyes.

"_Okay_, Ino."

Gaara laid back on the couch, mouthing the words to the song blasting out the speakers. He didn't he did anything wrong. If anything, Sasuke shouldn't be so weak to be phased by simple questions. He was annoyed by the fact that Naruto actually left with him.

'_Bitch.'_

* * *

"So?"

"So, what?"

Naruto and Sasuke walked side by side to the art wing. Naruto had his hands stuffed in his pockets to warm them up. Sasuke hadn't said anything since they'd left Gaara's dorm and he was hoping that he wasn't upset. He couldn't believe that Gaara would just say something like that. Gaara wasn't usually so...insensitive, especially since he's had his own problems in the past. Naruto let out an exasperated sigh.

"Did you like my friends?" He frowned at the question, he sounded like a kindergartener. Sasuke laughed softly, taking Naruto by surprise.

"They seem like cool people. And yes, even the angry redhead."

"I was worried that they'd scared you away or something. But um, sorry about Gaara, he's not usually like that, you know, all rude and..._yea_. I don't really know what that was about."

"Of course you don't. You're too naive for your own good."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Naruto whined. Sasuke scoffed.

"The fact that you don't know what I mean proves my point. It's okay though." He pat Naruto on the shoulder. "But I was serious about painting that guy." Naruto rolled his eyes smiling.

"_Okay_, I'll tell him that. It's really cool that you like my friends. Now we can all hangout and kick some ass on Blackops!"

"...Let's not get ahead of ourselves now." Naruto laughed.

"Oh and by the way, you know I'm gonna have to do another one of those video things again, so you should come to my dorm tomorrow and we could do it there."

"Okay. But I'm worried about going to your dorm, who knows what's in there."

"My dorm room is _awesome_. I can even rock my new lingerie for you." Naruto wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Sasuke smirked.

"Well then in that case I'll definitely be there." Naruto laughed.

"'Kay, I'll just text you my address later I guess. Now hurry up, why're we walking so slow? I wanna see your art project!" Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand, pulling them faster. Sasuke rolled his eyes but let himself be led as they walked through the double doors and into the dimly lit art wing.

* * *

**A/N: And then there was Gaara. Oh Gaara. Crazy, jealous little Gaara. Sooooo. That's chapter 11. It was mostly kind of a filler chapter...but be prepared for chapter 12! It's gonna be awesome! :D I really hope you guys liked 11, sorry if it seemed kind of...eh. It's just been a bad week for me so yea. Please tell me what you think and review! :3**

**Sidenote: Looking at my grammar and horrible spelling as I proofread makes me want to put an 'English isn't my first language' tag o warning in here. It's seriously that bad T_T**


	12. Id

**A/N: Here is chapter 12. I'm just gonna say sorry inadvance, you'll understand by the end of the chapter. I just had to do it, it was important to the storyline, I swear! T_T I decided to update early...mstly because I already finished the chapter and thought why not?Anyway, thanks so much for all the continued reviews and favorites and support, :3. I hope you enjoy this chapter, please tell me what you think! :3**

**Also thanks to my awesome beta uchihaledisko for helping me not fail miserably with me grammar! ^-^**

**I don't own Naruto.**

_******Id:** The primitive, unconscious part of the personality that operates irrationally and acts on impulse to pursue pleasure._

* * *

"The phrase 'obsessive-compulsive' has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is excessively meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed, or otherwise fixated–" Naruto rested his head in his hands as he took down notes. He was preoccupied with thoughts of his project. He still had three more analyseis to do on top of two video logs. On top of _that_, he had a fifteen minute speech to write about testing on animals. It was due in a week and he hadn't even started. Letting out another long sigh, he stopped writing and tuned into his professor.

"Alright well, we have a few minutes left so I just wanna talk about our presentations soon–" _What_? It was already the end of class? Naruto shook his head. He must've been really lost in thought. Slowly, he packed up his stuff and shoved it in his bag. He stood up to stretch and checked his phone.

_**(1)New Message.**_

Sliding it open, he clicked on the message screen.

_**Sak**_

_**Hey Babe! Me nd Ino r goin to the mall, do u wanna come? Scratch tht, get yo ass here after class blondie, we're hangin out today!...Lurve you! :D**_

Naruto laughed and slid his phone back in his pocket. Guess he was going to the mall today. He made his way down the stairs just as the bell rang.

"Uzumaki," His professor called to him. He turned, surprised.

"Uh, hey professor, what's up?"

"I was just wondering how you were enjoying that book I gave you. Is it any help?" Naruto nodded, smiling.

"Yea, it really helped. I have to bring it back tomorrow so I'll have it then." waved his hand, shrugging.

"Take as long as you need, there's no rush. Now get out, I have to prepare for my next flock of brains starved for knowledge." Naruto laughed and walked out, waving goodbye. He figured he should call Sakura and figure out a place to meet up, but it was surprisingly easy to find Sakura in crowded places with her bright pink hair. He hummed to himself as he traveled to the parking lot. He couldn't help but think about Sasuke. For some reason, he was inspired to write him a song. He already had the chords and melody in his head, now all he needed was the words. Later on, he'd have to get out his guitar and work on it. As he stepped into the parking lot, he spotted his car in all its orange glory. It was an old Mustang that used to be his father's. It was an aged rusty orange color, but it still looked amazing to him. He unlocked the door and threw his bag into the back and closed the door. He started the car up and turned on the radio, slowly backing out. Some old rock song played in the background as he drove, taking his mind off of Sasuke for a while.

* * *

"'Kay well, whatever, I wanted to eat first." Ino asserted, crossing her arms. Sakura rolled her eyes. Naruto laughed, taking another bite of his food.

"Fine with me, I was starving anyway." He mumbled, through a mouth full of food.

"You're always starving, Naruto." Sakura deadpanned. They sat in the food court, eating and bickering. Ino had insisted that they just hangout for a bit before they actually did any shopping. Naruto agreed because he _really_ didn't want to spend all his time shopping with them in girl stores. Not only was it frustrating how long they took-seriously, they spent three hours in a store and only came out with one shirt, what kind of logic?-but mostly because his wallet always ended up taking a hit. They'd waste money on hundred- dollar shoes and ask for money from him once they ran out, insisting that they just _had to have _that insanely cute top or those _fabulous _shoes. And did you see that _gorgeous _mini-skirt? We couldn't possibly pass that up! No thank you. Naruto was fine with just eating, staying around for a bit, and sneaking off discreetly.

"Meh, I'm a guy.I have a big appetite," he insisted, taking another bite of his burger.

"Yea and you eat a one-pound burger with four pieces of meat, six slices of cheese and bacon and don't gain any weight. If I ate that I'd be a house," Sakura whined. Ino clapped her hands together.

"We don't have time to talk about your weight problems," She teased. Sakura pouted, crossing her arms. "Soooo. First order of business: Gossip." Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Lemme guess, was some girl wearing the same dress as you?" He gasped, putting a hand to his mouth. "That _bitch_!" Ino glared as he laughed.

"No you meanie. Thoses aren't the _only _things we talk about. We talk about relationships too. Speaking of which, give us some spicy details~~" Ino chimed happily. Naruto roseraised and eyebrow, confused.

"Details? About what?"

Sakura leaned in closer. "You know, you and Sasuke. Did you guys have sex yet? Was it awesome?" Naruto's face heated up and he gaped.

"Wha-wha-we're-it's not like that with us! We're just friends!" he stuttered out. Ino laughed.

"But you want it to be. Don't deny it., I totally saw the way you were looking at him." Naruto looked away, trying to fight off the blush that covered his face. Sakura smiled teasingly.

"...Whatever. Even if I did like him like that, it's not like he feels the same way or anything." He sighed. Sakura scoffed, stealing a fry off his plate. He swatted at her hand, earning a slap to it. He pouted, crossing his arms.

"_Please_, it has to at least be _something_ between you two. I mean, Sasuke's been pretty much a loner this whole time and now you guys are connected at the freakin hip."

"It's for a _project_, Sakura, a _project_. And I mean, it's not like he was a complete loner, he has a lot more friends than I expected."

Ino clicked her tongue."That's not the point. The point is that something's going on with you guys, and you should totally go for it."

Naruto threw his hands up. " Go for it? I don't even know what _it _is!" He sighed, running a hand through his hair. He couldn't deny the fact that he liked Sasuke; he just didn't think that he was that _transparent_. He acted normal around him, and made sure not to give anything away when he was with his friends. But Sakura and Ino figured it out. Must be some kind of women thing. "...Is it really that obvious?" He asked. Ino smiled.

"Don't worry babe. It's not, it's just us women are _very _perceptive. Now, all you have to do is make a move." Naruto grimaced.

"Make a move? Like what, go in for a kiss or something?" He said sarcastically. Sakura and Ino nodded."Eh?! I wasn't being serious!"

"But that's perfect! You know, anybody can just out and say it. But knowing you, you'd probably freak out or choke up and change the subject."

Sakura nodded. " And you know what they say: actions speak louder than words." Naruto tapped his fingers on the table, thinking. Finally, he looked up.

"Well...I mean, it's not like I haven't thought about it, it's just… Sasuke's not the easiest person to talk to about that kind of stuff. Like, if I told any other person I liked them and they didn't feel the same way, they'd turn me down or if it they did like me, then everything would go good. But with Sasuke, I just don't fucking know." He stopped tapping his fingers and crossed his arms.

Sakura frowned, confused."What do you mean?"

"It's like he won't react based on how he feels, but by what he thinks the situation is, you know? Wait, that doesn't make sense, does it? Maybe I should say that he won't actually _believe_ me. He'll think I'm like pitying him or something, or just, you know, going with it."

"You mean he'd think you were just asking him out because you guys are getting closer and friends and that you're just going with the flow?" Naruto nodded."But what I don't get is what you mean by pitying him. Why would he think that?"

Naruto didn't say anything for a bit. Sakura frowned, understanding what he meant. _'It must have something to do with this problem of Sasuke's'_ she mused. But what could be so bad that Naruto would pity him? Naruto wasn't like that. From his own life experiences, he knew how pity made everything that much worse. Sakura knew that. Maybe Sasuke just didn't understand Naruto as a person yet. But if he did, then he definitely would know that Naruto's feelings were sincere.

"Knowing you," Sakura started,"I can tell that you trust him and I can tell that you told him about yourself, or at least about your parents. So maybe he'd understand that you really mean it. And even if he does flip out on you or not feel the same way, I'm sure you guys could just go back as friends." Ino nodded.

"Yea, even though I'm a little confused, and I feel like Sakura knows something I don't," Ino narrowed her eyes at Sakura, then turned back to Naruto, "I'm just gonna let it go and respect your privacy, even though I think it has something to do with you being all depressed a week ago. But I'll just say that it's worth a shot. Besides, if it does work out, you'd be able to say that you're dating the hottest guy since freakin forever." She smiled. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Yea I guess. But I'm not gonna just try only 'cause you guys are forcing me to! If I feel it then I will, I mean, it's better now than never I guess. Thanks guys, you're the best," he said, happily. Sakura threw her hands up, cheering.

"Yay! This is gonna be so awesome!" She brought a hand to her chin, feigning a wise stance. "In the words of a wise man…" Naruto's eyes widened. He could see what she was gonna say coming. _No!_

"_You wouldn't_..." he breathed, horrified. Sakura smiled, grabbing Ino's hand. "Don't you dare!" He pleaded. They smiled widely, standing up. They yelled, loudly and in unison,

"YOLO!" Naruto fell out of his chair and onto the floor, shaking like he was having a seizure.

"My EARS!THEY _BURN_!" He held onto his head as they laughed.

"You know you love it! Now get up you freak, people are looking at us like we have issues." Naruto laughed, still sprawled out on the floor. He turned his head and sure enough, people were staring and whispering.

"_Mommy_, is that guy okay?" A little girl asked, pointing.

"Don't point honey. It's rude. Just keep walking."

Naruto laughed harder, throwing an arm over his eyes. Ino squatted down next to him, poking him in the belly.

"Come on Na-ru-to. Now that we got that figured out, it's time to go _shopping_!" Naruto choked on his breath, still laughing.

"Okay, we should _totally _go to Cutesy Shoes first. I heard they're having a sale!" He gasped out, in a high-pitched voice. Ino shrieked,bringing her hands to her face.

"Hells yea,I'm _so _getting some pumps." Sakura smiled, agreeing. Naruto wiped the tears from his face and sat up.

Cutesy Shoes was the_ easiest_ place to lose them in. Once they got in, they'd completely forget about him, giving him the opportunity to high tail it out of there.

* * *

_**How does the dagger feel now when you're on the receiving end?**_

_**If this is what you call betrayal.**_

_**Then this is what I call revenge.**_

_**How could I be so blind?**_

_**I guess I fell in love too quickly...**_

_**But I'm fine.**_

Sasuke swayed to the music, as he sketched on his bed. He just got back home from working on a stressful project, and now he was lounging around in his bed. He was supposed to be going over to Naruto's dorm today, but Naruto had yet to text him back. So he decided to kill time by sketching. He drew a woman, standing at a window, her back facing the paper. A sheet was wrapped around her otherwise- nude body. Her hands were wrapped around herself, as if she was holding herself together. A man kneeled behind her, clinging to her hips as he cried. Her emotionless eyes stared down at their shadow that reflected the man's body laying lifeless on the floor and his head in her hands. Sasuke dropped the pencil, letting out a tired sigh.

_'I shouldn't draw while I listen to music'_ He mused. His drawings would always end up influenced by the songs he listened to. Sitting up, he cracked his back and looked over to his nightstand. His medicine sat, taunting him. He really hated taking it. It made him feel even worse, because to him it was like admitting he had a problem. With his other problems, he could pretend that they weren't there. If he ate and didn't throw up, he could pretend he was anorexic. If he had a horrible day but didn't cut, it was as if he was never a cutter to begin with. Even with the scars on his body, he could easily hide them under clothes. But even if he was having a good day, even if he was in the best of moods, he'd always have to take his medicine, reminding him that he's _not _as normal as he wished he could be. He kept taking it mostly for Naruto's sake. It felt almost like a symbol of how much Naruto actually cared. As much as it pissed him off, throwing them away or not taking them would be like a slap to Naruto's face. He actually drove all the way to the pharmacy, and even _bought them_. Gas was fucking _expensive _and his medicine wasn't particularly cheap, so that was saying _a lot_. He was pretty grateful for everything that Naruto had done for him. He wasn't the easiest person to deal with, and the fact that Naruto_ willingly _put up with his was awe-inspiring.

Lately, the more they hung out, the more Sasuke would _feel_. He wasn't sure what it was he was feeling, but he was sure that he didn't want to know. It scared the _shit _out of him. He wasn't used to feeling like this. He found himself wanting to spend more time with Naruto. They didn't even have to say anything; just Naruto's presence was enough. He was such a positive, warm person. Just seeing his smile always put him in a better mood. But he liked things the way they were now. He didn't want to complicate or overthink things.

The last time they hung out in the Avance, they almost had a horribly awkward conversation. Sasuke didn't think he could deal with Naruto feeling _that way _for him. It just...made him uneasy. So many people claimed to like him when they didn't even_ know _him. They didn't know his life, his story, his problems...nothing. All they saw was a face that they liked- which he couldn't comprehend for the life of him why-and that made them feel as if they loved him and knew him. He was _not _handsome and he was definitely _not _the person that people imagined him up to be. He was just a messed up person who deserved nothing much more from life than he already had. He should be grateful to be alive; he was told that many times by his father. Wanting anything more from life than that was just selfish.

Shaking his head, Sasuke broke out of his destructive train of thought. It was giving him a headache.

_'I guess it's time to just take my medicine.'_

He stood and walked to the nightstand, taking two pills and swallowing them dry. He'd been having a good week. He shouldn't be moping around or mulling over irrelevant things. His projects were coming along well, he was feeling pretty good, and he was gonna see Itachi soon...

He felt his headache coming on stronger. Seeing Itachi meant dealing with his father, something he was _not_ ready for. Rubbing his temples, he turned to his bed and grabbed his phone. Stopping the music, he opened up the message center and clicked Naruto's name.

_**Sasuke**_

_**4:12pm**_

_**Hey, I'm on my way over.**_

Grabbing his bag, he slung it over his shoulder. He grabbed his camera and his keys, running a hand threw his hair. He had to get out of his room, or he'd be stuck in there all day, lost in his thoughts, making himself feel worse.

* * *

Naruto sat, cross legged on his bed. His old cedar guitar sat comfortably in his lap as he plucked softly at the strings. A notepad lay on his bed with scratched out words all across the page. He'd been sitting there for an hour, playing chords on his guitar and humming softly to himself. He was getting lost in the soft melodic sound of his guitar. It had been too long since he played. The vibration of his phone broke him from his trance. Sliding his guitar onto the bed, he picked up his phone. It was a message from Sasuke, saying he'd be over soon. Good thing he cleaned his room earlier. Standing up and stretching, he went over to the dresser to set up his video camera. He angled it in a way that it could capture them both perfectly, but mostly Sasuke. After this, he could do his analysis, leaving him with only two more analyseis and one more video log. Finally, his project was almost done.

Naruto sighed, flipping through his notebook. Hopefully, he and Sasuke could go on being friends after all this was over . If all went well today, they'd be much more than friends. Naruto could only hope that he didn't screw everything up. He really had been thinking about it, even before Ino and Sakura had brought it up. Their pep talk today only gave him more resolution. A knock on his door made him jump. He quickly walked to the door, opening it. Sasuke stood, running a hand through his hair.

"Hey," he said, casually. Naruto nodded.

"Uh, hey, come on in." He screamed internally at the nervousness in his voice. This was just a normal day, where they would get some work done for his project, laze around talking about who knows what and just relax. The only difference would be that he would be 'making a move' on Sasuke. No pressure.

Naruto stepped aside, letting Sasuke walk in.

"Welcome to my bachelor pad." He closed the door and went over to the bed, plopping down. "And this is where all the magic happens." Sasuke snorted, sitting his bag on the floor.

"There's nothing _magical _about your hand." Naruto stuck his tongue out at him.

"Touché my friend. Now sit sit! We have a lot to get done!" He grabbed his note pad and threw it in the corner. Sasuke sat, running a hand across the strings of his guitar, admiring it.

"This is really nice. I didn't think you were serious about playing guitar." Naruto stood up and clicked record on his camera. Angling it more toward Sasuke, he smiled satisfied. He sat down cross- legged in front of him.

"Yea, I used to play it a lot back in high school. Now I barely get the chance. But okay, I've already hit record, so we have to get started. Let's get this thingy over with." He turned his head, facing the camera."Hey, this is Naruto Uzumaki recording the second live analysis of Sasuke Uchiha. So, we can skip the introductions and get right down to it. So I think I would like to discuss a topic of interest that could possibly be important to my analysis." He turned back to Sasuke, smiling." So Sasuke, you mentioned you had a brother a while back. Do you think he's had any kind of influence on you as far as your life decisions and actions?" He was genuinely interested in this brother of Sasuke's. He wondered if they were anything alike.

Sasuke rested his head in his hand."I guess. He's usually what keeps me out of trouble." Naruto nodded.

"Trouble?"

"Yes. Thinking of how he would feel has stopped me from making a..._reckless _decision many times." Naruto frowned. Reckless decision? He could only imagine what that meant. Deciding to let it go, he nodded.

"Okay. So would you say he's a big part of your life?"

"I would say so. He practically raised seems more like my father than my actual father does." Naruto could hear the bitterness in his tone.

"Thanks again for being honest, I really do appreciate it. But okay, so would you say that this affects you today in anyway?" Sasuke smiled softly.

"Yes, you of all people should know." Naruto nodded, understanding what Sasuke meant. He didn't' want to get too far into that topic, figuring that he'd have a better chance at all this working out with Sasuke in a good mood.

"Ah, okay. Well I guess that's it for now." He stood up quickly, stopping the camera. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair and turned back to Sasuke."Sooo. What's up?" Sasuke leaned back against the wall, staring lazily at the ceiling.

"Nothing much, finishing all my projects. I'm almost done with the one I'm using you for too. There are just a few shots missing..." He trailed off. Naruto went over to the bed and sat down next to him.

"Like what? Should I pose or something?" He put a hand on his hip, trying to be sexy. Sasuke snorted.

"No, idiot, and you fail at being sexy. But I don't know how to explain it; I'll know which ones are the right ones when I see them. After all, I do have a pretty good muse." Naruto laughed, lying back on the bed.

"Aww, I inspire you? My body is your muse. I am yours!" He cried out dramatically, throwing a hand over his eyes. He moved his hands to his hip and smiled. "Draw me like one of your French girls." Sasuke rolled his eyes, quickly getting a picture on his camera."What? Was _that _the shot you were looking for? You dirty boy~~" He cooed.

"Not exactly. I'll just keep this one for my own personal amusement."

"Man, you're _totally_ gonna yank the yodel to that picture," he teased.

"Don't flatter yourself. I should probably post this picture up in the football team's showers. I'm pretty sure there are lots of flaming linebackers in need of some release material." Naruto's eyes widened.

"You wouldn't."

Sasuke smirked. "Or would I?"

"Pfft, _whatever_. If a little time to whack the weasel is enough to the help the football team to victory, then I'm glad to be of service."

Sasuke rose an eyebrow."I don't think I need to know anymore masturbation terms. Let's just stick to the standard 'jack off'." Naruto laughed.

"Fine, fine, if you wanna be like everybody else. But hey," he started, excitedly," so earlier I got a text about some party my friends were throwin' and I was wondering if you wanted to come? I think it's gonna be at either Ino's or Gaara's." Sasuke smirked.

"Ah, the angry redhead. I'm sure he's just _dying _to see me again," he said sarcastically. Naruto pouted.

"I don't know what was wrong with Gaara that day. He's not usually like that. He really is a great guy once you get to know him."

"Sounds like you're trying to hook me up with the little ankle biter." Sasuke teased. Naruto rolled his eyes, blushing slightly.

"Whatever. You know, you're starting to sound a lot like Kiba. He and Gaara don't really hit it off either." Sasuke scoffed.

"I can only imagine. But speaking of Kiba, when are we supposed to be having that battle on Black Ops? I'm looking forward to kicking your ass on there." Naruto scoffed, putting his hands behind his back.

"I thought I told you that I was the best gamer since forever? I'm not gonna lose, but don't worry, I'll go easy on you." He closed his eyes as he smiled confidently. He felt the bed shift and more weight on his side.

_Click_

Opening his eyes, he blinked, surprised. Sasuke hovered over him, his legs on each side of Naruto, camera in hand. Naruto felt his face burning, probably completely red.

_Click_

Sasuke leaned back, sitting pressed against Naruto's sides. He looked at the camera, examining the photos.

"Hmm, you're blushing. It came out lovely." He lowered the camera and turned it at a different angle. Naruto sat up, smiling.

It was stuff like _that_ that gave Naruto hope. Whenever Sasuke would get too close, whenever he'd compliment him with a straight face, it made him feel like he actually had a chance. That maybe he actually felt the same way. He decided that now was a good time if any. There was no point in waiting. He couldn't think of a reason not to. Everything about Sasuke just made him want to be with him, to get to know him better.

Naruto watched as Sasuke went through his camera, examining the photos. His eyebrows were drawn together in concentration. A slither of pink was visible between his pale lips as he quickly licked them. Naruto couldn't help but follow it as it traced those lips, then withdrew back into Sasuke's mouth. Sasuke was such a beautiful person, inside and out. Naruto found himself more enticed the longer he hung around him. Everything he did was perfect. He was an amazing photographer. His art was moving. He was witty, funny, smart, sarcastic, and all around...perfect. Everything about him made Naruto want him more and more. What reason did he have _not _to try? He wanted to be there for Sasuke. To be there to protect him and comfort him and just love him. For all his flaws and insecurities. Sasuke was so fragile, so easy to break, and that's what worried Naruto the most about suddenly coming out with his feelings. He could tell that although Sasuke tried to put up an apathetic and stoic front, underneath it all, he was lost, scared, and confused. He needed someone to help him. He was sick, so very sick, and it hurt Naruto to see him hurting so much. He just wanted Sasuke to be able to see himself through his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he clenched his hands to his sides, trying to think of a way to start the conversation.

"Hey...what's wrong? You're crying." Sasuke sat his camera down and frowned. Naruto blinked and wiped his cheeks. Sure enough, they were wet. He gasped; he hadn't even realized he was crying. What the heck? Sasuke leaned over and wiped a tear watched him, not daring to blink as Sasuke's soft hand ran down his cheek. Without thinking, he grabbed his hand and held it between them. Slowly, he brought it up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on it. Startled, Sasuke yanked his hand away.

"What are you doing, idiot?" He asked, almost hysterically. Letting his emotions take over, Naruto reached out for him. In one swift movement, he had Sasuke in his lap. Sasuke let out a surprised gasp, which was quickly silenced by Naruto's lips. Naruto pulled him closer. Sasuke just sat there for a few moments, not sure of what to do. Naruto pressed harder, smiling to himself when he felt Sasuke start to respond. He felt Sasuke's thin hands tangling into his hair, pulling him closer. Naruto wrapped his arms around him, feeling how truly thin he was. He bit Sasuke's lip, and Sasuke quickly opened his mouth, allowing Naruto to slip his tongue in. The feeling of their tongues touching was like a shock of electricity. Sasuke let out a soft moan. Naruto pulled away and pulled Sasuke to his chest. They sat in silence for a while, catching their breath.

"Sasuke..." Naruto breathed, almost pleadingly. He was trying his best to hold back his tears. Sasuke sighed and looked up at him. He didn't say anything for a while, just staring at Naruto.

"Naruto, you're an idiot. You don't know what you're doing." Sasuke pushed himself up and slid out of Naruto's lap. Naruto gaped, confused.

"What do you mean? I know exactly what I'm doing,." he countered. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Well then, tell me _Naruto_. What exactly are you doing?" When Naruto didn't answer, Sasuke snorted."My point exactly. I'm going to leave now, I have to go. Call me when you want to actually work and not look at me like the poor, pathetic, messed up boy." He grabbed his camera and made his way for the door. Naruto gaped, standing up quickly.

What. The. _Fuck_?

"Sasuke!" He shouted, grabbing him by the wrist. He pulled him back into the room. Slamming the door, he placed his hands on either side of Sasuke, preventing him from leaving. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, glaring up at him.

"Move." His voice was low and shook his head.

"What're you talking about? What's wrong with you!?" He pleaded. Sasuke let out a bitter laugh.

"I thought you knew, Mr. Shrink? I'm the fucked up, depressed, anorexic kid, remember? The one with all the issues?" Naruto shook his head, frowning.

"Shut up, Sasuke! You're not fucked up. Don't bring that up; it has nothing to do with _this_. Why are you doing this again?" Sasuke's pursed his lips.

"Doing what?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't." Naruto stared angrily and closed his eyes. He began, quietly,

"You're avoiding the topic. Why won't you just let me help you? Just let me be there for you! I don't look at you like you're pathetic or any of that. I just see a friend who I want to help. Someone who I lo-"

"SHUT UP!" Sasuke pushed Naruto away harshly and backed up against the door."This is _exactly_ what I mean! You sit here and _kiss me _and then talk about how much you want to _help _me! Don't fucking group that together! You're only doing this because you feel bad for me? Because you think I need help? Just shut up! I don't fucking need your help! You don't know what you're talking about. How could you? Everyone who thinks they _care_ about me is just delusional!" He panted angrily, calming down."Just...stop. _Please_." Naruto clenched his fists to his side. He really didn't know what to do. It felt like he was walking on eggshells right now. One wrong move and everything would be ruined.

"You're the one who brought it up! I wanted to avoid that all together!" He stopped, breathing slowly to calm himself down. Running a hand through his hair, he started again. "Sasuke, calm down, you're being unreasonable right now, please stop. So maybe I shouldn't have kissed you right now, _I'm sorry_, but we've already been through this last time so don't you _dare_ try and pull that card on me. I care about you. More than you can ever understand. What you're going through has _nothing_ to do with my feelings for you. I know exactly what I'm doing and exactly what I want. What I want is you,"He said softly. Sasuke looked back at him, staring pleadingly. He _really_ couldn't deal with this right now.

"Where the _hell_ is this coming from all of a sudden? How could you want me? I'm a terrible person. I'm cold and stand-offish. I'm hideous and fat and just _awful_. I'm fucked up and scarred and just not worth it. I don't need your pity." He stopped, his voice cracking with emotion Naruto frowned. He sounded so broken.

"I don't pity you. And I don't care about all that. I can sit here all day long and disagree with you, but that's kind of pointless, isn't it? All I can say is that I accept your flaws and I see you as an amazingly beautiful person. I just wish you could see yourself the way I see you." He grabbed Sasuke's wrist and pulled him closer. Sasuke closed his eyes and turned away. They stood quietly, the sounds of their breathing filling the room.

"_Tch_, you're such an idiot. A stubborn, confused idiot. Look, can we just do this another time? I _really_ need to go." Sasuke felt like he was gonna have an anxiety attack. This was all _too sudden_. It wasn't too rare for him, and Naruto was the last person he wanted to see him in a panting, hyperventilating mess. He didn't wanna leave on a bad note, especially since today had been going pretty good, but he couldn't stay any longer. Naruto nodded reluctantly, deciding to drop the conversation for now.

"Yea, I guess. See you tomorrow?" Naruto asked, uncertainly. He didn't want Sasuke to leave. He feared that if he left, he might never come back. Maybe he did screw up. Maybe he should've waited or just talked it out. Or even just kept his feelings to himself. He felt like such an _idiot. _Sasuke picked up his bag and turned toward the door. He twisted the knob and stopped.

"I don't know," he answered, quietly.

"I'm sorry..." Naruto muttered softly. Sasuke stood for a second, then stepped out and closed the door.

The sound of the door closing resounded throughout the room. To him, it was the loudest noise in the world.

He stood in the middle of his room, trying to figure out what the heck just happened. Dropping to the bed, he let out a frustrated scream into his pillow. Perfect. _Just fucking perfect_. On top of making himself look like an idiot, he scared Sasuke away. Why the _hell _did he even say anything? He should've just kept it all to himself, and let it happen naturally, but _no_, he had to go and ruin things. He let out another angry scream, burying his face deeper into the pillow. He was such a fucking _idiot._

* * *

**A/N: Well, that's chapter 12 please don't hate me. I really hope noone expected for it to be 'Naruto confesses, Sasuke says yes, and the rest of the story is lovey dovey and happily ever after' This is Sasuke were talking , stubborn Sasuke. Besides, I promised craziness and craziness you shall get! It gets good from now on :D Well , I hope you enjoyed it, please tell me what you think :3**

**Sidenote:The title always foreshadows the chapter I guess. Well, some more than others...Log entry isn't really much foreshadow. T_T**


	13. Perception

**Hello, so here is chapter 13. I hope you guys enjoy it. Lots of things to come now that everything is set in place. Thanks for all thhe reviews and favorites and follows, I really appreciate it! :3**

**The disorder I described in this chapter I hadn't origanlly planned to address it because I kind of thought most would just assume, but then I realized that not everyone is either a.) a psych major who just knows this stuff or b.) a weirdo like me who likes to read about mental disorders on her free time(all night actually). So yea, there's no way you could just know it. Though I believe that it will explain alot to everyone. But anyway, please enjoy this chapter and tell me what you think:3**

**Kudos to my fantabulous beta uchihaledisko! :D**

**I don't own Naruto**

**__****Perception:**_The processes that organize information in the sensory image and interpret it as having been produced by properties of objects or events in the external, three-dimensional world._

* * *

"I'm _such _a bitch."

"No, Sak. It's not your fault." Naruto sighed, leaning back on her bed. She plopped down next to him, crossing her arms."Besides, it wasn't even _that _bad. At least he wasn't mad at me...well when he left anyways."

Sakura frowned. "Yea, but what are you gonna do? Will you wait like last time?" Naruto shook his head.

"No, I'm gonna talk to him today."

Sakura nodded in agreement. "Good, because we don't need you all mopey like last time." Naruto rolled his eyes."But really, what happened?"

Naruto shook his head."I mean a lot of it I don't really know and other parts I just can't tell you. All I can say is that it didn't go good, but it didn't end _horribly_. The conversation went awful, but at least he didn't leave mad like last time, you know?"

Sakura pursed her lips, thinking."Well then how_ did_ he leave?" Naruto shrugged

"I dunno. Surprised, tired, mildly panicked? Wow, way to bruise my ego," he muttered. Sakura ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

"Naruto...you're being way too apathetic about this, don't you think?" She looked at him, watching him closely. "It almost seems like you're in denial of what _really _happened. I'm not trying to make it more than it really is, trust me, but don't you think you're not making it big enough? You guys argued and he left, that doesn't sound _good _or even _okay_. And he left mildly panicked? That's just...that _sucks_. But you're sitting here just 'Oh you know it didn't go terrible, I'll just talk to him later' but it has to be more than that. If he reacted so badly to you trying to help him last time, I could only _imagine _how he reacted to you coming onto him." They sat in silence for a bit, neither saying a word. Finally, Naruto let out a tired sigh.

"Maybe I just don't wanna get upset like last time. Just sitting around depressed doesn't really change anything, so what's the point? If I sit here and pretend that it didn't go as bad as it really did, then maybe I won't feel so hopeless and I'll actually get up and go talk to him. If I sit and _really _think about what happened, I might just realize that he doesn't feel the same way and that he doesn't wanna talk to me. And I might just stay in my dorm room and avoid the situation all together." He looked up at her, smiling. "But of course I'm me, and I'm not that easily shaken. If I stay positive, I'm sure everything will turn out alright… or as close to alright as it can get."

Sakura smiled softly. "Forever the optimist. You never give up that easily, so don't start now. But you better talk to him soon. Time only makes things worst." Naruto sighed.

"Don't I know," he muttered. Sakura clapped her hands together, smiling. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, you know what you need? Some time with some friends. I can imagine how stressed you are, so how about we go have our own little party at the skate park? I know that everybody will be class-free in three days, so maybe then?"

Naruto shrugged. "Sounds good to me. It's been a while since I've hung out with all of you. Well, the last time I did, Gaara went all...weird."

Sakura scoffed exasperatedly. "My _God_, I know! Did Sasuke say anything about that? Was he upset?"

Naruto shook his head, smiling softly. "Nah, he found it funny actually. Then he started saying weird stuff like I'm naive and blind and all that because I said I didn't know what was up with Gaara."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "That's because you are." Sakura frowned. Even Sasuke caught on. How _dense _could Naruto be? He was a psych major, he _had _to be able to see what was up with Gaara, everybody could! Naruto pouted.

"Well whatever, I'm gonna get going to class soon. I _really_ need to pay attention today, I've been _so_ freakin' distracted."

Sakura nodded. "Yea you better. Exams are coming up soon."

Naruto sighed dramatically. "Exams; they're what separates the men," he stood up, flexing his muscles, "from the boys." He motioned toward Sakura.

Sakura frowned, rolling her eyes. "Oh fuck you. Now get out of my dorm and go to class, you bum." She smiled, waving him off. "And good luck! I hope everything works out!"

Naruto smiled. "Thanks. You should be some kind of motivational speaker or life coach or something."

"Yea, _'How to Fuck Up Your Social Relationships by Dr. Sakura Haruno'_. It'll be a _huge_ hit." Naruto laughed and grabbed the door knob, opening the door.

"You never know, it could be. Later, Sak."

* * *

"Body dysmorphic disorder?"

Class had ended pretty early today. Some students lingered around, chatting with friends. Other's rushed out the door, having classes that started right after this one. Professor Yamanaka nodded, bringing a hand to his chin in thought.

"Yes, that's what it sounds like to me. An extremely misperceived physical defect, to the point that it affects their lives. Most people with the disorder aren't even aware they have it. It just seems like extremely low self-esteem or poor self-image. But it could develop into things much worse such as love-shyness, reclusion, or social isolation." Naruto nodded, thinking it over. After class had ended, he decided to talk with his professor about his situation. He hadn't told him any names or anything, he just asked about what those symptoms sounded like to him. At first, Naruto had assumed Sasuke just had low self-esteem like a lot of people, but after yesterday it seemed _way _more than just that.

"So where does it come from? Because I know lots of people who say 'Oh I'm so fat' or 'Ew, I look awful today', but what separates that from body dysmorphic disorder? Like, are some people more likely to develop it than others?"

Professor Yamanaka nodded. "Well, B.D.D could be called low self-esteem on an extreme level. It's usually a co-morbid disorder, so a person with other types of illnesses like depression or anxiety is more likely to develop it." Naruto nodded, taking it all in. "But other factors like their environment where they grew up or are currently living in could contribute. Emotional abuse and neglect could lead to the disorder developing during adolescence or early adulthood. The thing that always surprises me is that, back in my days as a therapist, the people who had the disorder were highly attractive people. Most people would just believe they were being arrogant or just fishing for compliments, but these people seriously believe that they had some major defect. One person even said they were too disgusting to function in society." Naruto frowned. That sounded so much like what Sasuke was going through. He doubted that Sasuke was aware of this disorder that he had. This was crazy.

"That's...insane. I could only imagine how I'd feel if I was so set on the fact that something was wrong with me and somebody kept trying to tell me otherwise." He said quietly. Professor Yamanaka hummed in agreement.

"Yes, some of my patients would get angry and aggressive. They'd call me a liar, saying I was only saying they weren't ugly because I wanted to get paid. Others would even break down crying. It was a lot to deal with. The best thing to do is to just talk calmly with them and don't push it too much."

Naruto smiled softly, nodding. "Thanks so much. I wasn't sure how to look it up in that book you gave me. I didn't even know where to begin," he said. Professor gave him a pointed look, and then shook his head. "What?"he asked confused.

"As...curious as I am as to what this is all about, I don't want to pry too much. I mean, you couldn't have just come to me just out of curiosity."

Naruto smiled gratefully. "Yea you're right. Thanks though, for helping me." He smiled. Professor Yamanaka waved him off.

"No problem. I'm always happy to help my students. Now go, I have another class soon! I swear, you're always holding me up after class," he teased. Naruto laughed sheepishly, turning and walking to the door. Letting out a sigh, he ran a tired hand through his hair.

He felt like such a jerk. Pushing himself on Sasuke like that must have _terrified _him. If he was anything like his professor described, he definitely didn't know how to handle situations like that. A while back on Valentine's Day, his professor had lectured them on love shyness. He told them that all the single, lonely people could use that as an excuse. It made him wonder if Sasuke had that. But even disregarding that, whenever Naruto tried to argue that he wasn't fat or ugly or awful, Sasuke would just get angry and call Naruto a liar. It made so much sense and yet made things _that _much worse. There was one question that stuck out in Naruto's mind. Sasuke dealt with so much with cutting, depression, anorexia and now _this_...

What could have happened so _terrible_ in Sasuke's life to make him like this?

* * *

Sprawled out on the floor, Sasuke stared listlessly at the ceiling. He'd been trying his best not to think about what happened with Naruto, but his mind kept straying back to it. Just thinking about it made his head hurt. He couldn't believe that he flipped out like that and made himself look completely _crazy_. The moment Naruto kissed him, everything inside him froze. For a moment, he forgot everything. All his problems, everything was thrown to the back of his mind. All he could think about was how much he'd _wanted _to kiss Naruto. But of course, his mind was telling him otherwise. He freaked out and thought of any reason he could to turn Naruto down. He just wasn't worth someone's time. He was a terrible person and he was just so _awful_. The idea of Naruto having feelings for him terrified him beyond belief. He just couldn't handle it.

He couldn't help but wonder if Naruto would try and talk to him again. Maybe he wouldn't. Maybe he just gave up on him. Everytime they argued, he would be the one to make amends. Sasuke wondered if maybe he should be the one to do it this time. He couldn't see himself just letting their friendship go over something like _this_. Besides, Naruto knew too much about him. He couldn't just let him leave like that.

Sasuke frowned. He was beginning to sound like such a...a _girl_. Sighing to himself, he threw an arm over his eyes. This has been a _really _stressful year for him. It was like one thing after another. He needed to have a day where he could just sleep in and not think about anything; a day where he could lock himself in his dorm and listen to music, draw, and paint, and just relax. He seriously needed it. The sound of music outside made him groan. It reminded him of the kind of music his brother would listen to. From the sound of it, it was coming from right outside his dorm. It was giving him a headache. He picked up his phone, checking the time. Suddenly, the music stopped.

_'Thank God,'_ he thought in relief. He rolled over onto his side, thinking of his projects he had left to finish. Not too many, but still more than he needed to have incomplete by this time. He had to really _haul ass _if he wanted to get a good grade.

A knock on the door broke him from his reverie. Sighing, he stood up and went to the stretched, his back stiff and sore from lying on the floor. Grabbing the knob, he opened it slowly, not too excited to see who was there. His phone dropped to the floor with a loud thud. He stood there, eyes wide in surprise. He didn't move or even talk, too shocked. The person at the door smiled at him, laughing softly.

"Well, you're not gonna invite me i-" He was cut off by Sasuke, who quickly pulled him into an embrace, knocking the air out of him. He smiled and brought his hand to Sasuke's head. He pressed a kiss to the top and laughed.

"It's good to see you too, Sasuke," he said softly. He felt Sasuke shake his head in his chest.

Sasuke smiled, looking up. "Itachi, I didn't think you would come so soon. I missed you," he murmured from Itachi's chest. It's been a year since he'd seen Itachi, a year too long. He couldn't believe he was actually there. Just him being there made Sasuke want to cry with joy. With everything going on right now, he was just the thing Sasuke needed to feel better. He was like a breath of fresh air. The feeling of Itachi's hand stroking his head relaxed him. He pulled away slowly, crossing his arms. Itachi still looked the same. His long hair was pulled back into a lazy ponytail. He wore a white t-shirt and simple black pants. Sasuke stepped aside, letting Itachi come inside. He closed the door and turned, watching Itachi look around. He gave his room a quick once over, making sure he didn't leave anything too…incriminating out in the open. From what he could tell, everything seemed safe.

"I missed you, too. Though I wasn't expecting such a happy greeting. I was just waiting for you to jump up and down, squealing," Itachi teased. Sasuke rolled his eyes."I'm kidding. But seriously, it's good to see you. "He looked around at the dark colored walls and the odd art work posted along the wall. Posters and other random things littered the walls as well Itachi stopped in the center of the room, smiling. Though the room was pretty dark and could use some kind of color, it was so…_Sasuke. _"It looks pretty...cozy I guess. Small, but what else could you expect from a dorm room?" Turning his head to the dresser, he smirked. "I see you're still listening to that God awful band, what was their name again?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sat on his bed. He crossed his leg and propped his head up in his hands. "_Alesana_. But they're better than anything you listen to, trust me. I could hear your crap music from outside." He patted the spot next to him, motioning for Itachi to sit down. Itachi laughed and turned off the stereo. He sat down next to Sasuke, placing a hand on his head. He frowned at the dark comforter but said nothing.

"I decided to come a little early so you could see Baiton with us. Kisame wanted to meet the 'baby Uchiha' before he flew off to Sri Lanka." Itachi crossed his legs, getting more comfortable on the bed.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Sri Lanka? What, is he from there?"

Itachi shook his head. "No, there's a family there whose child needs open heart surgery and the family can't afford to fly out to Sydney. So he offered to go there."

Sasuke nodded, tapping his fingers on his knees. "That's really nice of him." He watched as Itachi's eyes roamed around the room. He followed his line of vision, still wary of something he could've left sitting out. He prayed that Itachi wouldn't go in the bathroom and discover the broken mirror or worse, his straight blades under the sink.

Finally, Itachi nodded, turning to him and smiling. "Yes, it is. _Jesus _Sasuke," he started, cocking his head to the side,"you've really grown. You're a little taller and your hair got longer. It's time for a haircut." He grabbed a piece of Sasuke's hair, examining the ends. "Seriously, you've got some terribly split ends."

Sasuke scoffed, pulling his head away. "Sorry. We can't all be hair-conscious like you. You look like you got a little taller too. It really has been a long time," he commented. Itachi tried to grab at his hair again, but Sasuke swatted his hands away.

"It's only been a year," He said, pursing his lips.

Sasuke scoffed again, frowning "A year too long. This has been one of the longest years of my life, with me being in school and you being gone. I'm not used to not seeing you for this long."

Itachi smiled sadly. He ran a hand through Sasuke's hair, smirking when Sasuke didn't swat his hand away. "Yea, even when I wasn't living at home, I still came to visit. I wish I could've been here with you, but work is crazy."

Sasuke frowned and clicked his tongue. "It's your own fault; you shouldn't be such an amazing neurosurgeon."

Itachi snorted. "Is that some kind of off-handed compliment?"

Sasuke smiled. "More or less."

"You know, I think you'd really like Sydney. The scenery is stunning, the perfect place for a photographer. I know it'll be a while before you graduate, but when you do you should consider flying out there with me." Sasuke shook his head, sighing.

"Too expensive. I wouldn't have nearly enough money to get an apartment out there. And no, I don't want you to pay for it." Itachi shook his head, smiling softly.

"Stubborn as always, I see. You know you could always stay at my place, but if you insist. What are you gonna do when you graduate?" he asked pointedly. He pulled the soft comforter over his legs, running his hands over the soft fabric. Sasuke frowned as the movement knocked down his drawing pad and his pencils. He decided to just leave it. He looked back at Itachi and shrugged.

"I'll worry about that when I get there. I can hardly plan for tomorrow, much less the future. It's a ways off anyway, so I'm not too worried. I mean, I'd love to live in Sydney, _trust me_. I want to leave this God-forsaken country more than you could possibly understand, but I don't want you paying for me all the time." Itachi rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you get some job on the side and save up? You know, you make things a lot harder than they have to be," Itachi commented. He pushed his stray hairs out of his face, pulling them back into their lazy ponytail.

Sasuke shrugged, sighing. "So I've been told. I've been thinking about it. I've just been busy...and lazy." Itachi shook his head and crossed his arms.

"Well hurry up. I worry about you being so far away. A whole fucking continent away. I want you to be closer." Sasuke nodded, turning his head. He brought his knees to his chest and laid his head in his arms. He was beginning to feel just how truly tired he was. This day has been emotionally exhausting for him. Thoughts of everything kept him feeling high-strung and on-edge, but as soon as Itachi came through the door, it felt as if none of it even mattered. He'd gotten so relaxed that he began to calm down and actually feel the wear of the day. Itachi placed his hand on Sasuke's head, stroking it.

"Somebody's sleepy~~" Itachi sang teasingly. He ruffled his hair playfully, Sasuke making no move to stop him.

Sasuke laughed, shaking his head. "You don't know the half of it." Itachi hummed in agreement.

"The drive here was pretty exhausting. I actually pulled over and just went to sleep."

Sasuke scoffed. "What the hell? Somebody could've shot you and stole the car, especially since you have a Jaguar that just screams 'steal me'. Who sleeps on the side of the road?" he asked incredulously, his voice muffled by his arms. Itachi chuckled softly.

"Hey, would you prefer I swerve off the road and flip over the guard rail or something? I've been doing all these ten-hour and twenty-hour surgeries, so my internal clock is all off," he answered, pushing Sasuke's head softly.

Sasuke groaned in his arms. "Well, then you shouldn't be overexerting yourself," Sasuke reprimanded. He sat up and crossed his arms in a mock motherly fashion.

Itachi smiled, shaking his head. "Ah, okay, so next time there's a patient in need of emergency brain surgery, I'll just say 'okay wait until after I take a quick nap'," He drawled sarcastically. Sasuke rolled his eyes, saying nothing. He put his head down and rested it back in his arms.

They sat in silence, Sasuke feeling his eyes growing heavier. Itachi sighed, moving his hand from Sasuke's head. He looked around, his eyes once again drawn to the artwork on the wall. Some of it was pretty abstract and serene while others were quite…disturbing, especially the one of the blue woman and the shattered glass. It was haunting. Another one that caught his attention was a simple sketch. It looked oddly like himself except it was on fire. Something on the dresser caught his attention. Was that a medicine bottle? He wasn't sure since he was so far away from it. He didn't want to get up and snoop around, since he wasn't in the mood to hear Sasuke complain. He could feel Sasuke's breathing starting to even out and his body relax. He smiled, poking Sasuke in the head again.

"Don't fall asleep on me. You still have to pack." Sasuke whined softly, causing Itachi to laugh. Throwing off the comforter, he stood up and stretched. He grabbed Sasuke's arm, trying to pull him off the bed."Come on, lazy ass. We gotta go soon. I don't wanna drive at night." Sasuke pulled his arm away, fighting against him for a bit. Too tired to resist anymore, he gave in and dropped his arm, sighing. Itachi smiled in victory, going over to Sasuke's closet. He began pulling clothes out and throwing them on the bed.

"Be careful with my stuff. I can pack my own clothes," Sasuke complained. He walked over to his closet and pulled out and old suitcase. He unzipped it and grabbed some clothes off the bed

"Well, then come on and pack." He tossed a shirt at Sasuke, who caught it before it hit his head. "So close..." he muttered smiling. Sasuke rolled his eyes and started to pack his clothes, excited to get away for a while. Even though it meant he would have to see his father, he'd deal with that when it came. For now, he would just enjoy the time he had with his brother.

* * *

Naruto made his way to Sasuke's dorm, a strong sense of deja vu in his mind. It felt exactly like last time when he went to the art room to make amends with Sasuke. Or when he walked to the Avance to bring up the problem that was the cause of all this mess. He wanted desperately for Sasuke to at least still be friends with him. That seemed like the most he could hope for. He was scared that Sasuke wouldn't even open the door.

As he approached the building, he noticed a shiny Jaguar F-type convertible that looked extremely out of place amongst the other old beat up cards.

"Holy _shit…_" he breathed out. It looked better up close than it did in the magazine. Who could afford a car like _that_?

He stopped a few feet away gaping. Sasuke stood at the passenger side of the car, throwing in a suitcase. He turned away to go back to his dorm, until he spotted Naruto. Naruto stared nervously, as Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, sighing. They stood, neither making a sound.

"Lav e amen inch' Sasuke?" Naruto jumped at the sound of the smooth voice, speaking what sounded like Armenian. A man with long dark hair stood at the stairs, his eyes on Naruto. The resemblance between him and Sasuke was obvious. They both had pale skin, and those deep dark eyes. The taller man had a slightly different kind of look, with long lashes and oddly effeminate looking eyes. _'This must be his brother he mentioned'_ Naruto mused. Sasuke turned away, waving his hand in dismissal.

"Da lav e, sayndamenyimynkern e." Sasuke said quickly. The man on the stairs nodded and made his way to the car slowly, never taking his eyes off Naruto. His intense stare made Naruto feel like he was on fire. Sasuke let out another sigh.

"Kangarrek',lrjoren Itachi," He said in an exasperated tone. Itachi turned away from Naruto, sliding into the driver's seat. Sasuke walked over to Naruto, stopping in front of him. He crossed his arms, waiting. Naruto bit his lips, unsure of what to say.

"Uhh...I just...I wanted to say-" Sasuke put a hand up, cutting him off.

"Look Naruto, you don't have to apologize. I was the one being unreasonable." Naruto quirked a brow. That was easier than he'd expected.

"Well _yea_, but I shouldn't have...kissed you without considering your feelings first." Sasuke nodded. "But, I really hope that we could still be friends after everything that happened. I know I probably came off as pushy and all, but I'm willing to just forget all this if you are." He stared, a hopeful expression on his face. Sasuke bit his lip and glanced quickly over his shoulder. Looking back at Naruto, he sighed.

"Naruto...we've had lots of conversations since we've known each other, and I'm pretty sure that I've brought up lots of stories of my run-ins with girls many times, am I right?" Naruto nodded slowly, confused.

"Um, yea, you have..." He trailed off. He did _not _want to hear about girls at a time like _this_.

"Whenever they come up to me, professing their undying love and all that crap, I usually just shoot their hopes down quickly and leave it at that. I never give them the time of day or think about it seriously because I never actually take it seriously. Half the time I doubt they do either," He finished quickly, frowning.

"...Yea..." Naruto was extremely confused, starting to worry where Sasuke was going with this. His heart dropped to his stomach in defeat. He could feel his hands shaking at his sides. Was Sasuke going to just shoot him down now? "Where exactly are you going with this?" he asked, hesitantly. Sasuke sighed, looking off to the side.

"I'm not really sure myself. But I know that the way that I normally act and the way that I reacted to you were completely different. I don't know...I've never freaked out like that and I've never panicked like that. And I've definitely never thought about it for more than a minute longer, like I have with you. I think that maybe it was because part of me actually believed you," he finished quietly. Naruto's eyes widened, shocked.

"So are you saying-?" Naruto prodded.

"I'm saying that another part of me...maybe even...felt...I-I don't know." Sasuke stopped abruptly, frowning. Naruto gaped, surprised.

"You're saying that you maybe...feel the same way?" Sasuke took a deep breath, crossing his arms.

"Look, I'm saying that I want to sit down and have a _real_ talk about it. I don't want to just decide something in the heat of the moment. You've got to understand that this is _hard _for me, especially given who I am. It's just _way _too much for me to take in. I'm not u_sed_ to all of this. Talking about my _feelings _and being with someone. It's a completely foreign language to me." Naruto nodded.

"I understand, and I wanna give you time to think." Naruto bit the inside of his cheeks, trying to keep the excited grin from spreading across his face.

"I'll be gone for a while; I'm going home for winter break. But when I come back, I want to have an actual conversation. Not us arguing, me flipping out, leaving, and us not talking for days. It seems like that's all we ever do. But I just want to have a civil and calm conversation, that's all." Naruto nodded, finally letting himself smile.

"That's all I could ever ask for..." he trailed off, feeling his smile growing bigger. He wanted to give Sasuke space and not push too hard, especially knowing what he knew now. The sound of a car horn made Sasuke sigh.

"Let's speed this along," he heard from the car, Sasuke's brother deciding to speak English this time. Sasuke turned, sparing his brother a glance. Looking back at Naruto, he smiled softly.

"I have to go; my brother's getting a little impatient. I'll see you in a few days," he finished, turning away. Naruto wanted to grab him and pull him into a hug, to kiss him senseless. But he didn't want to push it. He was shocked at the fact that Sasuke didn't just dismiss him, or even say he just wanted to be friends. Sasuke actually wanted to talk about it. He was so ecstatic, he didn't know what to do. Deciding on just letting Sasuke go, he nodded and waved.

"See you in a few weeks!" He called out, as Sasuke slid into the passenger side. Sasuke closed the door and waved. Naruto watched as the car backed out and sped away.

Naruto stood still, smiling like an idiot. He shouldn't get his hopes up; all Sasuke promised was to sit down and talk about it properly. But the fact that he actually wanted to give Naruto _the time of day _made him want to scream. These few days were gonna feel like _hell_, but he'd bare it. Everything with Sasuke was good for now and he had a lot to look forward to once Sasuke returned. He didn't wanna get his hopes up too high, but he felt like after everything, he at least deserved to feel _relieved_.

* * *

**A/N: So that's chapter 13. I was so excited to just finish this one so I can type up chapter 14. It will be a very special chapter because it'll be a pure Sasuke chapter! I have to admit, I got emotional while writing 14, so if I can succeed in making you guys react then my life as an author is complete :D Thanks so much for the reviews, honestly they mean so much. It's like I get slightly unmotivated and then I get these amazing reviews and I'm like 'Heck yea! I can't let these people down now' So yea thanks.:D Expect chapter 14 pretty soon :3**

**Sidenote: The story is based off a real world type of map(since I mention Sydney and Sri Lanka) but the country they live in is like a made up one. Haven't quiet figured that out yet but yea. I figured it didn't matter much. Also, Baiton is like New York, so it's like America...except not America. Idk lol I'm horrible with coming up with names(Baiton, Lemingway, seriously? I suck) :3**


	14. Catharsis

**A/N: Hi all! Well, here's chapter 14, I hope you guys like it. It is a pure Sasuke chapter and by far the longest one.****Thanks so much for all the continued support, I appreciate it very much. Please tell me what you think. Thanks to my awesome beta uchihaledisko!**

**I don't own Naruto.**

_******Catharsis:** The process of expressing strongly felt but usually repressed emotions._

* * *

"If you call me baby _one _more time I will kill you...with my bare hands."

"Haahaaaa, it's like an angry kitten!" Kisame laughed. Sasuke frowned and said nothing. "Calm down baby Uchiha," he teased. Sasuke frowned angrily.

Itachi walked over to them holding Kisame's suitcase. "You know, your plane is leaving in, like, thirty minutes right?"

Kisame shrugged, smirking. "Yea, but if we do a hundred in your car, we'll get there in no time."

"The hell you are," Itachi commented, scoffing. "So I can wreck my baby?"

Kisame smiled evilly. "Don't tell me you forgot about the time when you broke one twenty to get to A – "

"_Okay, okay, okay_!" Itachi said quickly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He grabbed his other suitcase from the ground and hoisted it up over his shoulder.

Kisame grabbed it from him and held it up in the air. "You're gonna have to jump for it if you want it back!"

Sasuke face palmed. "Seriously? We're doing this now? You're like, twenty feet tall. How the hell am I supposed to reach that?" he whined. Itachi laughed in the background, amused.

"_Jump muthafucka, jump muthafucka, jump~~!_" Kisame chanted. Sasuke closed his eyes.

"I refuse to degrade myself by jumping up for my suitcase like an idiot. You know, I could always just kick you in the nuts. I have a pretty good shot and aim." He smirked as Kisame gulped, dropping the suitcase.

"You short guys are no fun. You never wanna jump for stuff. That's how we tall guys get our amusement." He watched as Itachi went over to the car and got in the driver's seat. Sasuke slid in the back, lying down. Kisame chuckled softly and climbed in the passenger seat. "To the airport!" he commanded.

Itachi shook his head, smirking wickedly. "Hey, do you think I can get there going one fifty without getting pulled over?"

Sasuke sat up, his eyes wide. Kisame smiled, nodding.

"_Hell no_!"

"HELL YEA!"

Itachi smirked, adjusting his mirror. He really didn't wanna crash his pride and joy, but he just couldn't resist a little freeway fun.

* * *

Sasuke wobbled as he climbed out of the car, dizzy. He couldn't believe Itachi actually did it. It must have been some kind of off day for the police or something because they didn't get a single ticket. Kisame stepped out of the car and watched as Sasuke tried to balance himself.

"Hey Itachi, I think baby Uchiha here's gonna blow."

Itachi frowned, stepping onto the curb. "Please not on the car." Sasuke stood up and glared at them over his shoulder. He let out relieved breath and leaned on the pole next to him. He watched as Kisame pulled out his suitcase and other things.

"I guess they let anybody become a doctor these days," he muttered.

Kisame snorted, laughing. "Didn't you know that me and Itachi got our degrees from the ninety-nine cent store?" he teased. He turned to Itachi and nodded. "Well thanks for the ride. I had fun in Baiton. I guess I'll see you in a few days."

Itachi nodded."Yea, see you soon. Good luck on that surgery."

Kisame smiled. "Thanks." He turned to Sasuke and ruffled his hair. "Later baby. Nice to finally meet you."

Sasuke waved him off and stood up. He walked over to the car and slid into the passenger side. Itachi got in the car and started it up. He backed out and sped off onto the highway.

Sasuke leaned back in his seat, looking up at the sky and musing over the past few days. It had been two days since he'd left his dorm and he felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. Being with his brother always had that effect on him. They'd spent the first two days in Baiton, sight-seeing and lounging around Itachi's hotel room. Sasuke even got to meet Itachi's...unusual business partner. He was definitely odd. His name was Kisame Hoshigaki, a seven foot tall _hulk-_looking man with the creepiest smile Sasuke had ever seen. He had found Sasuke extremely intriguing, watching him and laughing the whole time they were there. He turned out to be a really cool guy, despite how odd he was.

Sasuke felt worn out from all the walking they did. Baiton was by no means small, and it was overcrowded. All the skyscrapers made Sasuke's head hurt. He looked over at Itachi, whose hair was blowing in the wind as they sped down the highway. He insisted on driving with the top down, saying that keeping it up defeated the purpose. Music blared through the speakers. Itachi tapped his fingers along to the fast beat on the steering wheel, singing along.

"You're not tired yet?" Sasuke asked, yawning.

Itachi shook his head. "I'm surprised _you _are. You've been cooped up in that dorm too long. Just a day out in the sun and you're knocking at death's door." He reached over and flicked Sasuke's forehead. Sasuke whined, but said nothing. The sun was setting nicely and everything was peaceful. The soft vibration of the car was lulling Sasuke to sleep.

Itachi looked over at him, smiling softly. "Hey, how about we stay at home for a day or two and spend the last days somewhere else. Maybe Jade Lake?" Sasuke's eyes perked up, looking over at Itachi. Jade Lake was his favorite place to visit. It was a city the size of Baiton with less than one hundred people. It was mostly rural, with a few houses here or there. It was about a six hour drive. Sasuke couldn't believe that Itachi would be willing to actually go that far.

"You'd do that? It's pretty far and besides, we don't even have a lake house. Those things are fucking expensive." Itachi snorted.

"You know I'd do anything for you. And there are lots of lake houses that we could rent out. I wouldn't mind paying for it." Sasuke smiled and looked out the window. The wind blew at his hair, blowing it out of his face. He frowned, annoyed. Itachi laughed, changing the radio station. Settling on some rock station, he smiled slyly, peering at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye.

"_So_. Are you gonna tell me who that blonde guy was?" Sasuke scoffed.

"Just a friend of mine," he answered quickly. Itachi nodded.

"Sure~~" he said, unconvinced. "By 'friend' do you mean 'friends with benefits'?" Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Creep. It's not like that," he argued, blushing. Itachi laughed.

"Whatever, you two are _totally _fucking! It looked like you guys were having some kind of lover's quarrel back at your dorm."

Sasuke turned his head away, annoyed and embarrassed. "Why do you care anyway?"

Itachi shrugged. "No reason. I'd like to know who my brother's involved in. Plus, he seemed familiar."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Familiar? Have you been creeping around my school or something?" Itachi laughed.

"Nah, it's a long story."

Sasuke shrugged, motioning out to the highway."Well I mean, we're gonna be in the car for another hour and a half. Might as well past some time." Sasuke couldn't help but be curious. How did Itachi know Naruto? Itachi sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"You remember Shisui?"

Sasuke scrunched his nose. "Our crazy cousin on Mom's side?"

Itachi nodded, laughing. "Yea him. Before he went back to Korea to open his own private practice as a therapist, he was an intern at another office here while he was doing his PhD program. Some doctor name Shouta Masamune, I believe. He had to go there every day three times a week. He didn't have a car because he totaled it when he was partying one night, so I had to pick him up everyday. It annoyed the shit out of me. For a while, I would just sit out in the car and wait for hours, until one day I just went in. So I was waiting in the office, and out comes this redhead woman. Probably one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen in my life, and _trust me,_ I've seen _a lot_ of women in my lifetime." He smirked, nudging Sasuke. Sasuke rolled his eyes."Well, anyway, she came out and she smiled and left. I would see her everytime I came to pick up Shisui. Sometimes she would stop and chat for a bit. I never did catch her name. Near the end of his internship, he told me that she had a son and that he wanted to meet her son before he left off to Korea. She brought him in and he had the biggest, brightest blue eyes and the brightest hair I'd ever seen. I guess that kid from your school just reminded me of him, that's all." Sasuke nodded, taking it all in.

It couldn't be a coincidence. So Itachi, by some far-off way, knew Naruto. Sasuke smiled to himself. _What a small world._ He wondered if Naruto remembered him. Probably not, since he was pretty young back then. Leaning back in his seat, he closed his eyes, mouthing the words to a song on the radio. He propped his feet on the dashboard, earning a look from Itachi.

"This car costs more than all four years of your college. I don't want any marks on it." Sasuke snorted but moved his feet anyway. Sasuke crossed his legs in the seat, slowly falling asleep.

"Don't drool on the seat," was the last thing he heard before he drifted off.

* * *

"Where the _hell_ are we?" Sasuke grumbled out tiredly. He'd woken up not too long ago and noticed the car had stopped. Itachi was outside, propped against the hood. He had his phone to his ear, talking quickly to the person on the other line. He looked extremely annoyed. Noticing that Sasuke was awake, he frowned.

"One minute Amane– Sasuke I'm just taking a business call. I didn't want to talk and drive. I couldn't concentrate, plus she insists on me talking to her without any distractions."

Sasuke groaned. "So she pretty much told you to pull over? Look, you don't have to lie to me. If it's some prostitute calling saying you forgot to pay, fine by me." Itachi flipped him off and put the phone back to his ear. Sasuke sat up laughing. He reached into his bag and pulled out a CD. He popped it into the CD player and turned it up, enjoying the music. Looking up at the sky, he noticed that it looked like it would rain soon. It had gotten gray and all the clouds looked really heavy. Sasuke loved the rain and was actually happy that it was coming. He wouldn't mind leaving the top down, but Itachi would complain about his car being too expensive to get soaked in rain.

"Ah, okay, just find those files. They're _extremely_ important. I'm not flying all the way out to Sydney to look for something that's probably just on my desk. Seriously, how do you guys survive without me?" He listened for a bit and laughed."Yes, you would all be jobless and homeless. Now I have to go. My brother is getting impatient." He paused."Yes, he's younger. He's 19." He paused again, looking at Sasuke."Yea, he's a little brat. A moody little thing." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Alright, bye. _Findthosefiles_!" he added quickly, ending the call. He walked over and slid into the driver's seat. Frowning, he turned down the volume.

"Honestly Sasuke, how the hell can you listen to music that loud? It'll blow out your ears," he lectured.

Sasuke smirked. "You're getting old," he commented, ejecting his CD from the player.

"Work ages a person. You wouldn't know, since you're too lazy to get a job," he teased.

"I can't help it. I mean, come on. If I get a job, I want it to deal with my major, which is impossible right now. At this point, my best bet is working at a fast food restaurant. Now you tell me what _'Would you like fries with that, sir?' _has to do with photography."

Itachi laughed loudly, shaking his head. "My _God, _Sasuke. You're such a little brat. There's nothing wrong with working at a fast food restaurant. But if you're that against it, you can always pick up little side jobs in photography." Sasuke scoffed.

"I haven't even gotten a degree in it yet. I'm sure no one wants to hire me this soon."

"True, but just show them your portfolio and all that. You're an amazing photographer."

Sasuke quirked an eyebrow, smiling softly. "You think?"

"Of course I do. I wouldn't lie to you. I don't see why you doubt yourself so much. You're so obviously talented." Sasuke didn't say anything, thinking of his father. He'd been told many times how useless a major in photography was. How it was a waste of time and that a couple pretty pictures in odd angles couldn't put food on the table. It wasn't his fault that he doubted himself.

"Fuck him," Itachi said matter-of-factly, reading Sasuke's mind. Sasuke sighed and turned away.

"Yeah, you're right."

There was a lot Itachi didn't know about Sasuke and Fugaku's relationship. There was an eight-year age difference between the two. Itachi moved out of the house right after he graduated, leaving Sasuke alone with his father for alot of his life. Itachi had practically fathered Sasuke from long distance, calling to check up on him, give him guidance, and coming to visit pretty often. He understood certain aspects, such as Fugaku's aversion toward Sasuke because of his mother's death and how Fugaku pretty much disregarded him after trying to play 'father' for a year after she died. What he didn't know was the abuse Sasuke had to go through.

No, Fugaku never actually physically hit Sasuke, but the verbal and emotional abuse hurt worse than any blow could. He'd be sure to remind Sasuke how pathetic and useless he was every chance he got. He even told him that he should be the one dead instead of his mother. At first, Sasuke didn't understand the bitterness that his father showed him. He went from the loving caring father that Sasuke was used to, to the hateful father that he knew now. He was quick to tell Sasuke what a disappointment he was and how his ambitions were a waste of time. At one point, Fugaku had come close to actually hurting Sasuke. He was out in the backyard, taking pictures of the scenery when all of a sudden, Fugaku stormed out and destroyed the camera. He'd grabbed Sasuke, screaming that he had no right to use the photography equipment because it had been his mother's. After that point, his violence and anger seemed to have simmered down to a suppressed form of hatred.

Once Sasuke moved on to high school, it was as if they were both strangers living in the same home. Whenever they did have to communicate, Fugaku never bothered to hide his disdain. Sasuke had tried desperately to hold on to any hope that his father would one day love him like he used to, that he would snap out of his angry daze and go back to being the father that he once was. Even to this day, he still held on to that hope. Once Sasuke went on to college, his father had tried to become more civil. Whenever they would talk, he'd pretend like he was concerned or actually cared, but to Sasuke, that was a thousand times worse. The fakeness in his father's voice made him nauseous.

Letting out a sigh, Sasuke broke away from his depressing train of thoughts and looked over to Itachi. His eyes were focused on the road, his fingers still tapping on the steering wheel. His hair sat a tangled mess on his head from the wind. He had long since put the top back up on the car, sensing that it would rain soon. Sasuke could feel a headache coming on. He didn't bring his medicine, since Itachi knew nothing about _anything _he was suffering. He planned to keep it that way. The last person he wanted to know how pathetic he had become was Itachi.

"Hey there, you look like you're about to shatter the window. It's very expensive you know. Penny for your thoughts?"

Sasuke sighed. "More like a dollar." He laid his head against the window, looking at Itachi. Itachi sighed softly, turning the radio station. He smiled at the song.

"_And I'll be your crying shoulder, I'll be love's suicide,_" he sang softly. Sasuke smiled.

"_And I'll be better when I'm older, I'll be the greatest fan of your life._" he hummed.

"Mom loved that song. She'd sing it all the time for us when we'd get sad or hurt. Well, more for you, since you're a klutz."

Sasuke laughed softly. "Yeah I was. Though I have to admit, I'd pretend to be sad just to hear her sing. She had such a beautiful voice." Itachi nodded. He turned toward Sasuke, looking at him sadly.

"You know Sasuke, I want so much for you. You didn't get to be with mom as long as I did and I just want that for you. I want you to find someone as loving and caring as her, someone who can be there for you. Man or woman or even fish, I don't really care. I just want you to be happy."

Sasuke looked at him confused. "Where is this coming from all of a sudden?"

Itachi sighed. "I don't know. Maybe it's just me, but lately I feel like you just haven't been happy. Like genuinely happy, and I really want that for you. I know father didn't do shit to help with that, and I can't always be there to watch you. I don't know, it's just been nagging at the back of my mind for a while now." Sasuke nodded. He really wanted to tell Itachi about_ everything_, but he couldn't bring himself to. He didn't want to make him worry. It was bad enough that he was worried now.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine," he answered quietly. With all he was going through, he highly doubted it. How long could a person starve and cut themself before their body just quit? His guess was not too much longer. Letting out a long sigh, he clicked his tongue. "You're starting to sound like a dad or something."

Itachi laughed. "I am aren't I? I can't help it. I only worry because I love you, you know that."

Sasuke smiled. "Yea whatever. Don't worry so much, it'll stress you out. It's already enough that you work twenty hour shifts and sleep on the side of the damn road."

Itachi rolled his eyes."That was one time! You're never gonna let that go, are you?"

Sasuke shook his head. "Never. Well, at least until you do something even more idiotically reckless. I swear, that's just crazy. Who does that?" he asked incredulously. Itachi snorted and changed the radio station as the song came to an end.

They drove in silence for a while, Sasuke enjoying the rain covered scenery. It looked so beautiful; the way the sky was still bright, but mixed with a dark gray as it rained. The rain fell at a terrible angle, showing signs of a possible tornado. The trees shook violently, leaves flying everywhere. A lone weeping willow sat in the middle of the grass, the only tree that looked unaffected by the harsh rain. That made him think of Jade Lake and how most of the trees that surrounded the lake were weeping willows. It was the perfect place for a picnic or to get beautiful shots.

Sasuke felt his good mood fly out of the window once he saw the _'Welcome to the Beautiful City of Lemingway' _sign as they exited off the freeway. His head began to throb as the houses began to look more and more familiar. He looked over at Itachi, who smiled softly.

"It's only for one day. We can go to Jade Lake tomorrow, I promise. It won't be that bad." Sasuke sighed. He didn't know the half of it. They turned down a curved street and stopped in front of a large brick house. It was a beautiful house with a perfect lawn and flowers that lined the sides of it. Sasuke felt sick just looking at it. Itachi gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and slid out of the car. He stretched and motioned for Sasuke to get out as well. Sighing, he climbed out. It felt weird being back home. The only thing that made him feel better was the lack of a car in the driveway. That meant his father wasn't home.

"Well, come on then. I still have a key." Sasuke nodded and followed Itachi up the path to the front door.

* * *

Their house looked the same as it always had. The furniture was all the same, in the same place. It looked as new as the day it had been bought. Sasuke took off his shoes, stepping on to the plush carpet. He padded his way through the living room, looking around. The nostalgia made him both happy and sick. It felt good to be home where all his happy memories of his mother rested. He could see the pictures of his family lined up against the mantel. Pictures from when he was a baby up until eight years old were scattered all across the wall. He heard Itachi snort, pointing at one and smiling. Sasuke looked up, laughing. It was a picture of him, a chubby smiling baby, nude with his bare bottom on display. Next to it sat a picture of eight year old Itachi holding newborn Sasuke. Behind them, their mother and father stood, smiling. Sasuke picked up the picture, smiling sadly. His mother was truly beautiful. She had long, thick black hair and beautiful dark eyes. Her skin was like porcelain. Her smile was bright and cheery, lighting up the whole picture. Her arms were wrapped around his father's waist as she smiled lovingly at all of them. His father stood, smiling a smile that Sasuke hadn't seen in over eleven years. That was probably the happiest he'd ever seen him. He put down the picture and sighed, looking at the rest of them. Most of them were candid shots of young Sasuke and Itachi, running around and having fun. Others were loving shots of their parents or group photos.

It was hard for Sasuke to look at all of them. They pretty much covered the whole wall. It reminded him too much of how_ happy _his family once was. He couldn't believe his father had actually kept these photos; it made him sick.

"Everything still looks the same..." Itachi trailed off, looking around. He looked at Sasuke, watching his reaction.

Sasuke nodded his head slowly. "Yes, pretty much. Even the furniture is the same. I wonder if my room is still the same," he mused. He heard a snort from Itachi.

"I hope mine is. I'm pretty sure that there's some kind of marijuana left in there somewhere."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "_Really_? Idiot."

Itachi shrugged. "What can I say? I was a stupid, curious teenager." He continued to look around, making his way toward the kitchen. Sasuke shook his head and walked up the large staircase in the back of the room. It led up to the second floors, which had ten identical doors. Sasuke walked down the hall slowly, examining all the doors. A nostalgic smile crept up on his face as he spotted the uneven paint on his room door.

It was from when he was in tenth grade. He had an awful day of school on top of coming home to his father's crap and he just lost it. He destroyed the whole door and bloodied up both his arms. He trashed his room and even broke the window. Once he calmed down, he realized what he'd done and felt like an idiot. It was winter time, and the breeze he had to put up with for a week was _terrible. _He had to get a whole new door and stitches. He couldn't believe what a crazy teenager he'd been back then. Granted, he was still crazy now, just a different kind of crazy.

He opened the door, laughing softly, rolling his eyes. The room was painted a deep blue, posters covering the walls. Most were weird demonic posters, remnants from his Marilyn Manson phase back in his junior year. Some of his old artwork was taped sloppily to the wall. His bed was still as perfect as he left it two years ago. He lay back on the bed, sinking down into the soft blue comforter and looked up at the ceiling. He smiled at the mural he'd painted with his mother. It was an abstract of angry reds and soft blues with splashes of calm greens. On nights when he couldn't get to sleep, just looking up at the ceiling was enough to lull him into a peaceful night's rest. Sighing, he looked over to his nightstand, grabbing his stereo remote.

_'I can only imagine the last thing I was listening too,'_ he mused. He pressed play, rolling his eyes at the heavy metal sounds that filled the room. Laying in his room listening to his odd music made him feel like he'd been transported back two years. It felt like he'd never left.

The sound of footsteps made him look up. Itachi stood in the doorway, smirking. He held up a quarter bag of weed.

Sasuke snorted, pausing the music. "You actually found it. What the hell were _you_ going through in high school?" he teased.

Itachi rolled his eyes and put the bag in his pocket. He sat down at Sasuke's feet and crossed his legs.

"Who knows? I only did it twice. It was terrible so I just stopped. I guess I have to get rid of this evidence." He sighed, looking up at the ceiling. He smiled, remembering the mural that his mother and Sasuke had painted all those years ago. It was beautiful. It surprised Itachi how talented Sasuke was at painting at the young age of six. Looking around the room, he laughed. He remembered something Sasuke told him about some 'angry-angsty- teen-phase' state his room was in. Posters of God-knows-what covered the dark walls. Stacks of CDs lined the dresser and nightstand, stacked high as possible.

Itachi sighed, turning his head."I don't wanna even look around this room. Who knows what I'll find?"

Sasuke smiled. "Well I know what you_ won't _find. Unlike you, I didn't keep stacks of porn around my room."

"I was doing what every normal teen my age did, unlike someone I know who was the most non-hormonal teen then and now."

Sasuke shrugged. "My bad, I just don't see the appeal in photos of naked women."

"...Naked_ men_?" he prodded. Sasuke rolled his eyes, not responding. Itachi laughed. "Come on down to the kitchen with me. I'm hungry." He stood up and stretched, cracking his back. He grabbed Sasuke's foot, trying to pull him up. Sasuke pulled away, sitting up. He stood up and looked around again.

"Hmm, I think I want to take my CDs. I kind of miss them," he said absent-mindedly. Itachi nodded but said nothing. He walked out of the room and into the hallway, Sasuke in tow. They walked to the stairs, Itachi stopping abruptly.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong?" Itachi smiled and shook his head. He walked up to the rail, turning around. Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed. "Why are you sliding down the rail? Seriously?" he laughed. Itachi positioned himself on the rail, looking back at Sasuke.

"Because fuck you that's why," he smirked and slid down. He let go, landing on his feet. He gave a quick victory cheer when he made it to the bottom. Sasuke walked down the stairs laughing as he walked past Itachi and into the kitchen. Even the kitchen looked the same. It looked like something you would see in a _Good Housekeeping_ magazine. The counter tops were marble, the cabinets were a pretty blue that matched the walls. Sasuke sat down at the long table, crossing his legs in the chair. He watched as Itachi searched through the fridge, looking for something to eat. He pulled out all the ingredients to make a sandwich and closed the door with his foot.

"Vo you vant a shanwish?" he said, the loaf of bread in his mouth distorting his words.

Sasuke shook his head. "I'll pass."

Itachi shrugged, opening his mouth and dropping the bread on the counter. "Suit yourself." He put down all the stuff and started making his food, humming quietly to himself. Sasuke looked around the room, his eyes stopping on the quote his mother had artistically painted on the wall.

_'A beautiful family, made from love' _He shook his head and turned away, idly watching the clock. Itachi sat down in front of him, and took a bite out of his sandwich.

"Hey, we should look around the garden next." He sat down his food and rested his head in his hands, and watched Sasuke.

"Sure. It feels like were sight-seeing in our own house."

"Yeah, it's been years since I've been here. Maybe we should take pictures?" He shrugged and took another bite of his food. Sasuke started to hum then stopped, and shook his head.

"Dammit, that dumb song is stuck in my head," he grumbled.

Itachi laughed and smiled evilly. "What, you mean _'Michael_'? I love that song."

"Yes, _I know_. You only played it _a million times_ in the car." He face palmed, and tried to get it out of his head.

"Beautiful boys on a beautiful dancefloor, Sasuke you're dancing like a beautiful dance whore!~~"Itachi sang, and smiled.

Sasuke scoffed. "Don't put my name in there! And that song is catchy, just annoying."

Itachi pouted. "Don't deny your inner dancewhore, Sasuke." They laughed. Sasuke shook his head and turned away.

The sound of the front door opening sounded through the house as the door creaked. Sasuke and Itachi stopped laughing abruptly. The door closed and the sounds of footsteps were heard walking down the hall. Itachi stood quickly, and sighed. He ran a hand through his hair and looked back at Sasuke. Sasuke looked over at the wall, avoiding his gaze. Itachi frowned. He took a deep breath and started,

"I'll go greet him. Oh, and Sasuke?" he paused, waiting for Sasuke to look at him. "Try to understand him a little okay? I know that nothing can excuse him from acting so _pitiful _and abandoning his son over something so senseless, and I know that I can probably never forgive him, but please. For your sake and his, just try to fix things between you and him. I can see how sick you are, Sasuke. I don't really know what _it _is exactly, but I can see it. You need him in your life more than you'd like to think. And now is the time for him to step up and be a _father _rather than the pathetic excuse for one he's been." He stopped, and sighed. He'd finally said what he was waiting to say since he picked Sasuke up at his dorm. He wanted his father and Sasuke's relationship to get better, he really did. Itachi turned and walked out, leaving Sasuke to watch him go. Sasuke heard their mumbled voices; he could hear how genuinely _happy_ his father was to see him. He laughed bitterly. Of course he would be happy to see Itachi, who wouldn't be?

Itachi didn't understand. He didn't _know_. If he knew what his father did to him all those years, then Sasuke doubted Itachi would be trying to reconcile their relationship. He'd be doing the exact opposite. Of course he couldn't tell his brother. He hoped that today Itachi wouldn't see what he couldn't explain. But after two years, he couldn't imagine having a good conversation with his father. His breath hitched as he heard the sound of footsteps coming toward the kitchen. Suddenly, they stopped. He looked up and locked eyes with his father.

"Father. It's good to see you." He held his gaze, not blinking. Fugaku quickly looked away.

"Sasuke, same to you. How have you been?" Crossing his arms, he smiled forcibly.

Sasuke shook his head. "I've been... fine." Fugaku nodded. They stood in an awkward silence. His father looked at the ground and sighed.

"So…how have your studies been-" he started, Sasuke cutting him off.

He put up a hand. "Just stop." Fugaku's eyes widened. He looked up and saw Sasuke's fist clenching.

"Sasuke? What's wrong?" He was surprised; Sasuke never talked to him like that. "I want to know how school is going for you."

Sasuke sighed. He _really _wasn't in the mood for this fake conversation. He could clearly see the disdain in his father's eyes. He could tell just by looking at his body language that he honestly didn't care. Looking over at the doorway, he felt his heart drop when he noticed Itachi wasn't there. He shook his head slowly.

"Everything is going fine," he said shortly.

Fugaku frowned. "So what major did you change to? Hopefully something of use to your future."

"I didn't change. I'm still doing photography."

Fugaku scoffed, crossing his arms. "You still refuse to change to something more sensible I see. Why not business or even law school?"

Sasuke shook his head. "That's not what I want to do. It's a waste of money to go to school for something I'm not interested in." Fugaku shook his head and looked away. He turned back, locking eyes with Sasuke. He pursed his lips tightly together.

"Honestly, I will never understand why chose such a useless major like photography. Making a living off of taking pictures? I'd be surprised if you could survive a day," he lectured, condescendingly. Sasuke looked away. It was starting. His father had dropped the civil facade and was starting with the insults. It looked as if he stopped caring, since Itachi wasn't in the room.

"I can't help it if photography is what I love to do," he said quietly.

Fugaku scoffed."What you love to do? It's not about what you love to do; it's what puts food on the table. You don't see your brother running around doing something useless like photography."

Sasuke clenched his fists to his side. "I'm not Itachi."

Fugaku laughed humorlessly, shaking his head. "You're right. You're not your brother. He actually turned out alright while you're sitting here chasing foolish pipe dreams. Just stop it."

Sasuke looked up, feeling himself getting angry. What the hell? He had been trying to be civil and tried to have a good conversation with his father. Did he really wanna play this game right now? It was so old it made Sasuke sick. He was_ beyond_ over it.

"Are we_ seriously_ doing this now? It's been two years father, and _this_ is what you have to say to me? What happened to that fake smile and your _'concern' _a few minutes ago?"

Fugaku raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "_Well well_, I guess you're no longer the little boy who just sat there pathetically and took whatever I gave you all those years ago. Nice to see you finally grew up." He smiled condescendingly at him. "Now it's time for you to grow up and get over those stupid dreams of yours. You're not even good at it."

Sasuke looked away, staring at the clock. He was surprised that he didn't feel the sadness that usually came with his father's words. All he felt was anger. He could feel it building up inside him, from the tips of his toes to the top of his head. The only time he'd ever felt this angry was when he destroyed his room door and went on a psychotic rampage. He definitely couldn't let his anger get the best of him; it could get really dangerous if he did.

Sighing, he closed his eyes. "It'll be an amazing day when you realize that I'm gonna do what I want and you can't tell me otherwise."

Fugaku lifted his head, scoffing. "Obviously I wasn't strict enough. I guess somewhere I went wrong with you."

Sasuke threw his hands up. "Not strict enough? Ha! You didn't even give a shit. You went wrong _everywhere _with me."

"Tch, obviously not. You're such a thick-headed child, I swear. Everything I say goes in one ear and out the other. I tried to raise you right and make sure that you wouldn't grow up _stupid _like you are now."

Sasuke let out a frustrated growl, lifting up his shirt sleeves. He turned his arms toward his father. Fugaku raised an eyebrow, unfazed.

"You think your words had no effect on me? This is what they did to me! You have _no_ clue what I had to go through being told I was nothing and pathetic and as good as_ dead _all my life! You didn't even raise me. Itachi did!"

Fugaku smirked, laughing. "What's this now? I see you've turned to some kind of attention-starved child now, if those marks are anything to go by. Grow up and get over it. Don't you dare say I didn't raise you because I did. I raised you to be strong and smart, but _obviously _you've turned out to be weak and pathetic. You disappoint me."

Sasuke felt himself shaking. _This_ was exactly why he didn't want to come home. Years of unresolved tension and anger had built up between them. It was only a matter of time before something like _this _happened, and Sasuke just _knew _that this was how it was going to turn out. His father was just so fucking _dumb_. He had no idea how much his words effected his life. It was because of _him_ that he was so fucked up. It was because of _him _that he couldn't just enjoy life like every other teen his age. It was because of_ him _that he thought he was so worthless and underserving of _anything_.

"What would mother think?" he asked lowly. He saw Fugaku tense up. "What would she say if she saw how you've been treating me for the past eleven years? You think she'd be proud to see what a fucking _disaster _I am because of you?"

Fugaku clenched his jaw loudly. "Don't bring your mother into this. This has nothing to do with her. You have no right to talk about her."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "_You _have no right to talk about her. Especially since you sit there and call photography _useless_, something you know she loved."

Fugaku shook his head. "So is this what this is all about? You're trying to do photography just because of your mother? Don't be stupid. You don't deserve to hold a camera, much less do something that Mikito loved. Don't sit here and pretend like you actually loved her. It's all your fault." He stopped, balling his fist. "You should be the one buried instead of her and we both know it."

"WHAT THE _FUCK _ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?" Sasuke exploded angrily. He felt his breathing quicken and his chest tighten. Did his father just accuse him of not loving his own mother?

Fugaku bit his lip, deliberating whether or not he should say anything. He didn't want to bring up painful memories. Looking at the expression on Sasuke's face, he decided he should. This boy had gotten too cocky; he needed to be knocked down a bit. He needed to learn his place.

"It was because of_ you _that Mikito died. She got sick with that god-awful disease because she refused to get a _goddamn_ abortion that could've saved her life. She was stubborn and wouldn't listen to me. We already had Itachi, a smart child who had a future ahead of him; it would be okay to just let you go. But _no,_ she had to be stubborn and keep you. And now, because of that_ idiotic _decision, she's gone! And for what? For this," he motioned his hands toward Sasuke, making an expression of distaste, "a fucking _crazy _failure of a child! She gave her life for a weak, useless _disappointment _like you. And you sit here and talk about her as if you understand. You don't know anything! You need to learn you're place! I've never cared about you! I've never loved you; I never have and I never will."

Sasuke stood, gaping. What the _hell_ was he talking about? Was he really the reason his mother died? It made so much sense. The way his father had treated him, as if he was some sort of pariah. The anger that he had; it all made perfect sense. And finally hearing those words...it hurt. He felt himself shaking with anger. Tears began to form in his eyes. He was seeing red. His breathing began to speed up and his heart pounded in his chest. All the anger he felt building in his body felt like it was about to burst.

Maybe it was his exhaustion. Maybe it was because he hadn't taken his medicine in a few days. Maybe it was all the anger and hurt from today and all those years of emotional abuse from his father building up, or maybe it was a combination of everything. Whatever it was, it was the thing that finally did it; he finally snapped.

Letting out an angry yell, he reached over and flipped the table, shattering the plates lined up on it. Fugaku jumped back, avoiding the glass shards. He looked at Sasuke, his eyes wide in shock and confusion.

"_Sasuke_, stop this _now_!" He clenched his fists to his sides, watching his son. Sasuke gave him an angry look and turned away. He stormed out into the living room, leaving Fugaku behind. The sound of glass shattering made Fugaku's head snap to the door. Quickly, he ran out to the living room and stopped, gaping. Sasuke stood in front of a large mirror, shattered to pieces. Blood dripped down his hands.

"_Fuck you_," he huffed out. "Fuck this house! Fuck this family!" He turned towards the wall, staring at the pictures. "Why the _fuck_ do you still have these!?" He walked over to the mantle, grabbing a bunch of family photos. He began throwing them at the wall, smiling wickedly at the sound of the frames shattering. "Pictures of us smiling like we're a happy fucking family!" He turned and threw one at the wall behind Fugaku.

Fugaku ducked. He felt himself growing angrier with each frame that shattered on the floor. He watched as pictures of his beautiful wife were thrown angrily across the room.

"You better stop this _right now_," he said darkly. Sasuke turned to him, laughing bitterly.

"Or what? You're gonna _hit me_?" he laughed, holding his stomach. "Get the fuck on. Don't try and tell me what to do. You're not my fucking _father_," he spat.

Fugaku clenched his fists tighter. He let out an angry growl and started toward Sasuke.

"Don't you even _dare_." Itachi's cold tone stopped him in his tracks. Itachi had been sitting on the porch, giving them time to talk. The sound of glass shattering made him come in to assess the situation. He was surprised at the scene before him. There was glass everywhere and Sasuke was bleeding.

"Itachi, stay out of this!" Fugaku shouted, his eyes locked on Sasuke.

"Sasuke," Itachi started, ignoring his father. "Calm down."

Sasuke threw another frame, laughing manically as it shattered.

"Don't tell me to calm down! He's the one who called me crazy! I'm just showing him how _fucking crazy _I really am!"

"_SASUKE!"_ Itachi yelled, grabbing his wrists. Sasuke pulled away from him, backing into the wall.

"DON'T FUCKING TOUCH ME!" he screamed. Itachi flinched, drawing his hands back. "You all make me _sick_! You claim to love me and care about me, but you sit here and side with that _sick _motherfucker! Fucking hypocrite!" he spat bitterly. Fugaku took a step toward him, his fist balled up.

"I'm not taking _anyone's _si-"

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE YOU FUCKING PSYCHO! I don't have to take this shit from _anyone_, much less _you_!" he exploded.

Itachi brought a hand to his temples, sighing exasperatedly_. What the hell_? "SHUT UP BOTH OF YOU!" He couldn't take this anymore.

"YOU DIDN'T LOVE HER!" Sasuke shouted suddenly, tears pouring down his face." You didn't love me or her and now I can see that. I don't know why I even _tried_. You're so fucking _pathetic _that you ruined your own son! _FUCK YOU_!" He turned around, stomping to the door. He grabbed the door handle, ripping it out of its hole. Turning around, he pitched it at the window, shattering it. Quickly, he walked outside and turned down the street.

He walked for what felt like forever, panting like a mad man. As he walked, he felt himself starting to shake. Tears began to blur his vision. His legs began to give out on him. He collapsed on a random lawn, pulling his knees to his chest. His sobs wracked his body as he sat on the grass. His head felt like it was going to explode. This was just _too much_. He needed help. He needed somebody to come help him; to come save him. He couldn't take much more of this. He didn't know how much longer he could last.

"...S-s-somebody..a-a-nyb-body. _Please…._"

* * *

**A/N: Ahh the angst, it's killing me! I hope you guys liked this chapter, and I'll try to get 15 up ASAP. Though I'm pretty burned out from just _everything_ going on now, I'm determined not to let it effect my updates! :3**

**Let me know what you think.**


	15. Altruism

**A/N: So here is chapter 15. I'm sooooo sorry for it being so late, it's just that I've been so freakin busy with _everything_ and by the time I get home, I'm burned out and unable to type. I finally got up and finished this as quickly as possible, especially sonce I felt like a jerk when I realized I left you guys on a m'effin cliffhanger. So I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, please tell me what you think.**

**I don't own Naruto**

_******Altruism:** Prosocial behaviors a person carries out without considering his or her own safety or interest._

* * *

The sounds of loud music blared through the room. Gaara stared idly at the wall, mouthing the words to the song. He looked up at the sound of the bathroom door opening. Naruto stepped out with a towel hanging over his head, dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt. He let out a tired yawn and sat next to Gaara on the bed. Gaara put a hand on his arm, still warm from the shower.

"Why don't you just blow dry your hair?"

Naruto frowned. "Because it takes too long. Besides, I like how my hair looks when it naturally dries."

He threw the towel to the floor and sighed. These past few days had been _exhausting. _He had tests in three different classes and papers that were due as well. He'd finished his public speaking speech, which went off without a hitch. Now all that was left was his psychology project, which was currently at a standstill. He'd been hanging out with his friends at night, getting home and crashing pretty late. So these past few days had been pretty eventful.

He'd been trying not to let his thoughts linger on Sasuke too long. Mostly because he didn't want to get his hopes up, and he didn't want to over think things. Just let life happen. He could wait patiently for a few measly days, even if they did feel extremely long since he had something to look forward to.

A hand in his hair pulled him from his thoughts. He smiled down at Gaara. Gaara watched him thoughtfully.

"What are you thinking about?" Gaara twisted the blonde locks around his fingers, tugging softly.

Naruto shrugged. "Meh, nothing much. I'm tired as hell though. I almost fell asleep in the shower, it was pretty funny."

Gaara snorted. "That's 'cause you've been staying up late and getting drunk off your ass. I've been doing the same but at least I've been sleeping a little."

"Hey! You're like the most insomniac person I know. I can't tell if those are bags or eye liner." He rubbed Gaara's eye, laughing. Gaara slapped his hand away, holding his eye.

"I totally steal Ino's makeup that she leaves in my dorm and play in it when I'm bored. It makes me feel pretty." Naruto laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Ugh, I have class soon," he whined.

Gaara raised an eyebrow. "Were on winter break; _none_ of us has class today."

"I have to go to one of my classes to meet with my professor. It's about some dumb assignment."

Gaara moved closer to him, sighing at his warmth. He smelled shower-fresh. "Well hurry up and get that done so we can hang out later with everyone. It really has been a while."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he answered, waving is hands. "You wanna come with me?"

Gaara shrugged. "Sure." Naruto stood up and yawned. He shook his hair which was still damp. Gaara followed suite, standing up and grabbing his shoes. Naruto frowned at Gaara, noticing that he was only wearing a thin t-shirt.

"It's cold outside; you can't just wear at t-shirt." He walked over to his computer chair grabbed two hoodies from a pile of clothes in the chair. He took his orange one and gave Gaara his gray one. Gaara frowned but put it on anyway. The hoodie was extremely oversized on his small body. The sleeves were too long and the hoodie came close to his knees. Naruto laughed and pulled his over his head.

"Why the heck are you so big?" Gaara complained. Naruto shrugged, still laughing.

"'Cause I'm just that awesome. You're so freakin small, that hoodie looks adorable on you," he teased. Gaara clicked his tongue.

"Whatever, let's just go." He rolled up the sleeves to make it look smaller without much success. Naruto nodded and grabbed his keys, turning off the stereo.

* * *

Naruto walked out of the classroom and waved. He waited as Gaara followed slowly behind him, yawning. They walked out of the bulding and stopped. Naruto glanced at the packet of papers in his hand.

"Just what I need, another project. I swear, these teachers don't understand that we have _twenty million other classes!_ And they _all_ give out projects!"

Gaara rolled his eyes and scoffed. He grabbed the packet out of Naruto's hand and read it over quickly. "Sociology?"

"Yea, it's pretty much the study of society." Gaara nodded and flipped through a few pages. He sighed and gave the packet back to Naruto.

"So what exactly are you guys supposed to do?"

Naruto shrugged. "I guess we have to write a paper on early signs of sociology in the Byzantine empire and medieval Islam." He looked thoughtfully at Gaara, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, you're a Philosophy major, shouldn't you have this class too?"

Gaara nodded. "Yea but I don't get it 'til next year. Keep all your work by the way, I might need to copy off of you, Blondie."

Naruto laughed and slid the packet into his bag. "_Cheaters never prosper~~_" he chimed. Gaara shrugged and followed him as they made their way to the parking lot. He opened his door and slid in, waiting for Naruto to get in. He noticed that Naruto was looking far off at someone. It was a blue haired girl who was greeting him. He frowned. Reaching over to the driver's side, he tapped the window, getting Naruto's attention. Naruto looked down questioningly. He tapped his wrist in a 'we-don't-have-much-time' gesture, making Naruto roll his eyes. He turned back to the girl and told her he'd see her later. Once she walked off, Naruto slid in the car, laughing.

"Geez, Gaara, we got like four hours." He started the car and turned around, backing out.

"Yea well knowing you, you would've spent three and a half of those hours talking. We still gotta get stuff for later on. Sakura texted me asking us to get something to drink. Non-alcoholic."

Naruto pouted. "Well that's no fun. Oh well, we could always get strung on caffeine." He reached over and turned on the radio. "So, let's go to the store around the corner, it's closer. Then we can stop at your dorm and get your stuff. Do I have to pick anybody up?"

Gaara nodded. "Yea, Hina wants a ride since Neji won't be able to come. And you can't say no 'cause Kiba will bitch you out about it later if you don't pick up his 'girlfriend'." Gaara smiled, bringing a hand to his chin. "On second thought, let's not pick her up. Let Kiba suffer."

Naruto rolled his eyes and laughed. "I'm not gonna leave Hinata hangin' like that, you know I fucking love her! It'll be no fun without her there. But this gas is a _bitch_ to pay for, you guys are gonna have to start paying up."

Gaara laughed shortly, turning his head. He opened the door and stuck a leg out, making Naruto's eyes go wide. "Fuck _that_, I'll walk. I barely got enough money for a box of noodles."

Naruto rolled his eyes as Gaara closed the door."I see how it is," Naruto pretend-cried, turning a corner. He could hear the cars behind him honking. "You'd rather jump out of a moving vehicle than pay me for gas. Don't worry, I'll be walking soon too, without any gas." He wiped a fake tear from his cheek, shaking his head. "But fine. Now, let's go to the store, I really wanna get some mountain dew."

Gaara nodded and pulled out his phone, relaying their plans to Sakura. He told Hinata that they'd pick her up soon. He locked his phone and dropped it in the seat, listening to the music playing in the background.

* * *

"Okay, so _obviously_, you don't understand how friggen' _flexible _this chick was. Dude." Kiba smirked perversely, earning himself a slap to the back of his head from Sakura.

"Kiba you creep..."Gaara muttered, lying back against the half pipe. Ino leaned over him, grabbing a Pepsi out of the cooler. Naruto laughed happily, having fun just hanging with his friends at the skate park. Sakura had heard about what happened between him and Sasuke, and told him to go make things right the next day. So when he found out that Sasuke had left for the week and all that transpired between them she was excited beyond belief. Sakura decided to throw together an impromptu party with all their friends as an odd form of celebration. Of course when they asked, she made up an excuse saying that they hadn't hung out for a while and it was time for them all to get together again. So here they were, chilling at the skate park. Naruto lay next to Gaara, his head in Hinata's lap. Sai and Tenten were at the top of the half pipe, messing around and dancing to the music. Sakura and Ino were stretched out across the bottom, bothering Shikamaru, and Kiba...he was all over the place. Naruto smiled brightly as he joked with his friends. This was nice.

Ino stood up, pulling Sakura with her. "_Now dance fucker dance!~~_ Come on, that means dance…fucker."

Sakura pulled away and plopped down, laughing." Bitch _please_. I'm too sexy to dance." She stuck out her tongue and laid back. Ino rolled her eyes and kept dancing.

Naruto shook his head but said nothing. Ino spun around in circles, shaking her hips to the beat and twirling her hair. She was obviously floating on a sugar high. He snorted and watched as she danced closer to Kiba. She threw her arms around his shoulders, smiling.

"Take it away Kiba!"

Kiba laughed and continued singing where she left off. They began to harmonize, completely off key. Naruto smiled and joined in the singing, throwing in a terribly off key version of the melody. Ino smiled at him and kept dancing, motioning for him to get up and join her. He sat up, fixing his shirt. A vibration in his back pocket caught his attention. He pulled it out, the loud ringer drowning out the soft music from their radio.

_**Sunshine! There ain't a thing that you can do that's gonna ruin my night**_

_**But there's just something about, this dizzy dreamer and her bleeding little blue boy,**_

Naruto's eyes widened; that was Sasuke's ringtone. He felt himself begin to panic. What could he want this late at night? Maybe he just wanted to talk? With Sasuke, he could never be too sure; it was always one thing after the next. Sakura looked up, noticing the look on his face.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She asked, sitting up. Everyone turned their attention to Naruto.

"Yea man, answer your phone, it's drowning out my amazing singing voice!" Kiba complained. Naruto stood up.

"I,um, I'll be right back." He hurried a few feet away, ignoring his friends' questions. He never had a problem with answering his phone in front of his friends. What could Sasuke be calling for? Did he want to talk about everything that happened now? His hands were slightly shaking with nerves. Deciding to just suck it up, he flipped his phone open and took a deep breathe.

"Sasuke?" He asked, hesitantly. For a while, Sasuke didn't say anything. He could hear sounds on the other end, but he couldn't really make them out. Naruto began to think it was a butt dial, until he heard Sasuke talk quietly.

"Naruto. Hey, um..." His voice sounded...off. Naruto frowned.

"Hey, is everything alright?" Silence. "…Sasuke…?" he tried. He heard Sasuke take a shuddering breathe and let it out.

"Yea, everything's...just fine. I just...need someone to talk to. You were the first person I thought of." He said, quietly.

"What's wrong? You're not hurt, are you?" Naruto was starting to freak out. This sounded nothing like Sasuke. Something was wrong.

"I-I. Just...please, I need someone to talk to. To s-stop me from doing something stupid." Naruto could tell Sasuke was starting to cry. He clenched his fist around his phone. Doing something stupid? Did he mean_ suicide_? With everything he knew about Sasuke, that possibility wasn't too far-fetched. But what could've happened to make him react like this?

"Sasuke, where are you?" He asked calmly.

"W-what? Naruto, I'm like thirty minutes away. I don't want you to have to drive over here for _me_ of all people. "His voice shook. "It's okay; I just need to talk to you." Naruto shook his head.

"No Sasuke, I'm coming to get you. _Where are you_?" There was a long pause. He heard Sasuke take another shuddering breathe.

"I'm in Lemingway..." he trailed off, his voice cracking

"Okay, I'm on my way. Just...stay put, okay? I'll call you when I'm close so you can give me the address. Please, Sasuke, don't do anything stupid. Just stay there and wait for me. Promise me you won't _do_ _anything_." Even though he hadn't exactly said the words, the implication was enough.

"I...I promise. Naruto...Thank you."

Naruto let out a long sigh. "No problem. See you soon." He hung up and rushed back to the half pipe. Sakura looked up, concern in her eyes. She frowned but said nothing. Kiba walked over to him and crossed his arms.

"Hey man, are you okay?" Kiba asked, concerned. Naruto nodded. He grabbed his bag and keys, throwing his bag on his back.

"Yea, I have to go so I'll see you guys later." He looked around, double checking if he was leaving anything.

Sai frowned. "Where to?"

"Uhh, Lemingway."

"Lemingway?!" Ino shrieked. "That's like, thirty minutes away! Why're you going there?" Naruto clicked his tongue.

"Look guys, I don't have time for twenty fuckin' questions, alright? I'll explain everything later, I promise. But right now, I _really _need to go. See you guys later." He threw his other bag over his shoulder and ran to his car, ignoring his friends' yells.

Hopefully, he got to Sasuke in time. Before he did something he'd regret.

* * *

Itachi stood in the living room, his fists clenched. He glared daggers at his father, who shook with anger.

"What the _hell _happened in here?" Fugaku didn't reply. He continued staring at the door angrily. Itachi grit his teeth, _beyond_ pissed off with the turn of events. He took a deep breathe to calm himself down. Things were bad enough, the last thing they needed was him freaking out. "What. Happened?" The steel in his voice made Fugaku turn to him, eyes narrowed.

"Do you want to know what happened? Your pathetic excuse for a brother just reaffirmed everything I ever believed about him and more. He's unstable, weak, and just plain useless."

Itachi blinked, taken aback. _What_? That sounded nothing like his father. He always knew that his father had an aversion to Sasuke because of his mother's death, but he'd never vocalized it. Or sounded so...bitter, like he actually hated Sasuke. But that didn't make sense…he'd never _actually _said he hated him. He never really acted on t either, so what was so different about today? Was there something he was missing? He'd never really been around to watch the dynamic of Sasuke and his father's relationship, so he wasn't too sure.

Maybe that's what he missed. Maybe his father had been more…expressive of his feelings while he was away. Maybe he even told Sasuke how he felt; but how did he _really _feel? All he had to do was look into his father's eyes; all he had to do was read the emotion that was there, and it explained it all.

Itachi's eyes widened in realization.

So _that's _what was going on. He felt like such an idiot; how could he have not seen this earlier? Sasuke had been particularly against coming home, something he didn't quite understand. Maybe it was those years he'd spent away from home that caused him to become naive. That caused him to miss something like this. The aversion that his father felt toward his brother was something more than that. Was it hate, blame? He wasn't quite sure, but looking into his father's eyes, he could see clearly all the unspoken words . He could feel himself getting angry

_"Sometimes it's okay to be naive and take everything at face value; let the pure stay blissfully ignorant."_

It all made so much sense; so much fucking sense that Itachi could feel his head throbbing. Sasuke had said that a while ago and threw him for a loop. He brushed it off as Sasuke just being Sasuke. He was always an old-soul, philosophical child. But now, looking back, he should have realized; he should have _known. _But he didn't, and so now the result was Sasuke having a break down and running off, making him feel helpless. How could he, someone usually so perceptive, miss something like this? He was feeling angry with himself as well. Turning to his father, he gave him a heavy glare, which he returned, an eyebrow raised.

"What did you say to him?" he demanded, his tone cold. "What did you_ do_?"

Fugaku sighed, and closed his eyes. He looked tired out. "Itachi, there are just some things that you can't understand-"

The sound of bones cracking resounded throughout the room.

Fugaku fell to the floor with a loud thud. He looked up, shock and surprise in his eyes. Itachi walked over to him and crouched down, getting eye level with him. His eyes burned with anger. Fugaku scowled and narrowed his eyes.

"Let me make one thing clear," he started, placing a hand on Fugaku's jaw where he punched him, "I'm not Sasuke. I'm not nineteen-fucking-years-old, so let's not do that you-won't-understand shit. There's _a_ _lot _of shit going on right now that I just don't know, but what I _do_ know is that you're gonna explain it to me. _Right now_." He moved his hand and rested them on his knees.

Fugaku glared up at him and scoffed. "Now you huh? You kids these days are out of control. You don't know you your place. Who are you to order me around?"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "I'm twenty seven, not a kid. Give me a fucking break. Now I can't say who exactly I am to order you around, but I can say that unlike my dear little brother, I won't settle for breaking glass; I'm gonna be breaking bone. You can either tell me what I want to know or I can get it out of you myself. Your choice."

Fugaku let out an angry growl and stood up. Itachi slowly stood up and stretched, his eyes never leaving his father. Fugaku cradled his jaw, wincing at the pain. "This is what happens when you give your children a bit of praise. They get rebellious. They think they're all big and bad and they try to challenge you. I thought you were the good child but obviously all the praise has gone to your head."

"What the _fuck_ are you going on about? This isn't about me; it's about all this shit that happened today and how I wanna know what's going on, _now._ I'm not the patient type, and I'm already hanging on a thread right now."

Fugaku threw his hands up angrily. "Fine! You really want to know what happened? I told Sasuke that he was the reason why his mother died! I told him that I never loved him! I told him all the things that I've been telling him over the years; I told him the truth! Would you've preferred that I lied to him? He told me not to play games with him, so that's what I did. You don't understand _anything_ because you were out in Sydney living a perfectly happy life! You didn't have to stay here and look at all these fucking pictures or deal with the very _thing _that caused your wife to die! You can never understand!" He stopped, panting.

Itachi let out a sigh. He couldn't even get angry. All he could feel was pity. His father was just so _pathetic _that it hurt. He shook his head and turned away. The sight of his father was too pitiful to look at. A grown man who couldn't cope with the death of his wife deciding to push off all of his hurt and anger and frustration on his own_ son_? Pitiful. But most of all, he felt sorrow for Sasuke. Why hadn't he realized all this before? Now Sasuke was God-knows-where, and there was nothing he could do.

He turned his back to his father and pulled out his phone. Quickly, he typed in the number he had memorized by heart.

'Sasuke, pick up. Come on pick up,' he chanted mentally. The sound of the voicemail made him want to throw his phone against the wall. He ran a hand threw his hair and groaned. The feeling of his phone vibrating made him jump.

_**(1) New Message**_

_**Sasuke**_

_**Leave me alone. I'm fine.**_

Itachi clicked his tongue. His brother was a terrible liar, even through text. The way he'd left was definitely _not_ fine; the farthest thing from it. He shook his head and began typing.

_**Itachi**_

_**Where are you? I'm coming to get you.**_

He waited for a few minutes, before giving up the hope of Sasuke replying. Well, at least he knew that Sasuke hadn't gone off and did anything crazy. He seemed to be okay as far as his well-being, but Itachi knew that he must've been an emotional wreck right now. Sliding his phone in his pocket, he turned to his father and narrowed his eyes. Fugaku stared back, saying nothing.

"Fuck you."

With that, he turned and left out, slamming the front door.

* * *

Naruto sped down the dark, curved streets of Lemingway, scanning every house. He had already called Sasuke and asked him for the address. Hopefully, he wouldn't get pulled over for speeding. His knee was shaking like crazy and it was taking _forever_ to find Sasuke. This was one of the longest thirty minutes of his life. It felt like he'd been driving for _years_. As he turned one curved corner, he spotted someone sitting on the grass, their knees to their chest and their head buried in them. He identified them as Sasuke and gasped. Naruto stopped the car, not really paying attention to how he parked it, and quickly got out and went to his side. He let out a long sigh of relief. Even though Sasuke was going through something, the most important thing was that he had stayed put and he was still _alive_. Naruto crouched down next to him, placing his hand on top of his head.

"Sasuke." He said, quietly. Sasuke was shaking. "Sasuke, talk to me." he tried. Sasuke slowly lifted his head.

His eyes were red and puffy, his cheeks stained with tears. He looked so… _broken_. Naruto felt himself start to tear up, but tried to control it_. 'You have to be strong, for Sasuke' _he mentally chanted. He pulled Sasuke into a tight hug, cradling him against his chest. Sasuke cried harder, soaking Naruto's shirt. Naruto pulled him into his lap and soothed him, telling him everything was going to be alright. Sasuke's cries grew louder, muffled by Naruto's shirt. Naruto felt his heart breaking. He felt so helpless as Sasuke cried. What could've happened to damage Sasuke this bad? Maybe everything in his life just finally came crashing down. His illness, his self-hate, his family issues that he never clearly explained; something must've finally just come down on him. After ten minutes of sitting down consoling Sasuke, his cries began to die down. Naruto slowly stood them up to lead them to his car. He made sure Sasuke was steady and wrapped a hand around his waist. Sasuke was so _thin_ and _small _and just..._fragile_. Naruto wiped the tears away from Sasuke's cheeks and smiled sadly. He pulled him in and captured his lips in a sweet reassuring kiss. Just as quickly as it started, he ended it. He pulled his face away and wiped away more tears.

"Come on, let's go to the car." Sasuke nodded and followed Naruto to the car. Naruto opened the passenger door for Sasuke, waiting for him to climb in and shut it before he went around to the driver's seat. They sat in silence for a while. Naruto laid back and sighed. Turning his head to the side, he watched Sasuke. Sasuke had his head down, bangs covering his face. His arms were crossed over his chest and his legs were in the seat, drawn in. Naruto reached over and ran a hand through his hair. Sasuke looked up at him, staring into his eyes.

"Thank you," He started quietly," I'm sorry for causing you trouble. And for being so difficult."

"You're no trouble at all. I'm happy to help you, you know." He smiled tiredly.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and smiled sadly. "You said I give you a lot of grief…"

Naruto nodded. "Yea I did, didn't I? Wasn't that back in the art room? It doesn't matter, I don't mind, some things are worth it you know? "He watched as Sasuke's chest rose and fell, his breathing still uneven from crying. Sasuke looked down, his bangs covering his face. His arms tightened around himself. Naruto couldn't help but think of how vulnerable Sasuke seemed now. He was always so guarded and wary of people; he wasn't one to show how he really felt or to let someone see something like _this _so openly. Naruto sighed and waited quietly for Sasuke to collect himself.

"It's stuff like this that makes me like you more and more." Sasuke said softly. Naruto blinked, confused and slightly taken aback.

"_What_?" Sasuke turned to face Naruto fully. His eyes were wide and scared.

"You're the most selfless person I've ever met. And you're so kind and...beautiful," he said sincerely.

"Sasuke..." Naruto didn't know what to say. That was pretty out of the blue, especially in a situation like this. He watched as Sasuke shook his head unsurely, mumbling to himself. It seemed as if he was arguing with himself over something. He could hear Sasuke's breathing beginning to pick up. He cocked his head to the side, concerned. Was Sasuke having a panic attack? He had no clue what to do in this situation

"I'm sorry for overreacting back at your dorm room. I just-this is all just too much. Everything is just _too much_. It seems like everything is happening to me so fast and at the_ worst_ time possible and I just don't know what to do. How to react. With the stuff that happened with you and everything tonight and _everything_, I just can't take it. It's _too fucking much_. All these feelings and emotions and everything is driving me insane and I just...I...I really...and..It's all-"

"Sasuke, calm down." Naruto said softly. Sasuke's eyes were huge and he was shaking. He was breathing like he was running a marathon. "Take a deep breath and relax. You're fine. Everything's fine." Sasuke followed Naruto's instructions and got his breathing to begin to slow down. He crossed his arms and let out an uneven breath.

"Thank you. I'm sorry. I'm just….so confused. Tired. Angry. A lot of things. It's just so many emotions and I do know what to do with them" He said. Naruto smiled sincerely.

"It's no problem, and stop apologizing. You don't have to talk about what happened back at my dorm or what happened today until you're ready. For now, just rest. You know..." He trailed off, raising his hand to his chin in thought. "I've been thinking, we should get away for a while. Wouldn't that be awesome?" He smiled. Sasuke looked up questioningly.

"Get away? Where to?"

"Well, my godfather has a small house off the lake that he never uses. The beach is nice and secluded, and the house is pretty much all windows. It'd be nice to get away for a bit and relax out by the water. Plus, it's gonna be Winter Break starting next week, so we could hang there for a week or two if you'd like."

Sasuke stared skeptically for a bit. He couldn't mean Jade Lake, could he? Itachi had promised that he'd take him there, but he didn't think he could stand to be around him at the moment. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to just relax and let everything go.

"What about your friends? I'm sure they want to get drunk and party with you all break. Will they be okay without you?"

Naruto shrugged. "Mehh, they'll live. But you, my friend, need to get out into the sun and have some fun. You're so pale. Though I doubt it'll be any sun since it's almost winter, but _details_." He poked Sasuke's shoulder. "Besides, maybe we both need a break from college life for a bit. And if you want...we could talk. About anything. Everything. Whatever you want." Naruto ran a nervous hand through his hair, waiting for Sasuke's answer. Sasuke looked up at him, then out the window.

"That sounds nice..."

Naruto smiled happily. "Great, this is gonna be amazing, I swear."

Sasuke turned his head to the side and looked out the window. He could see a shadow coming toward them. Naruto noticed it as well, looking toward the figure. As it stepped out into the street light, Naruto recognized it as Sasuke's brother. He looked around for a bit until he noticed the car. He stopped and looked pointedly at Sasuke, biting his lip indecisively. Naruto couldn't tell if he was sad or confused He looked over to Sasuke and noticed him averting his eyes.

"I can't deal with him right now," he said quietly.

Naruto frowned and put a hand on his shoulder. "Is he…the one who caused this?"

Sasuke shook his head. "No but I just…can't. It's not Itachi's fault but I don't think I can handle talking to him without flipping out," he answered honestly. Naruto nodded and moved his hand, unbuckling his seat belt. Sasuke looked up, his eyes wide.

"Where are you—"

"I'm gonna go talk to him, alright?"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto's hand. "You don't have to. We could just drive off."

Naruto pulled his hand away gently and smiled. "Sasuke, I'm pretty sure he's worried about you. You can't just drive away. Look at it from his point of view; his little brother who just freaked out is in some random stranger's car, and giving him the cold shoulder. What is he supposed to think?" Sasuke sighed and nodded slowly in understanding. Naruto reached over and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I'm just gonna tell him you're fine, 'kay? I'll be right back."

He opened the door and stepped out into the street. The light illuminated Itachi's long hair. It was hanging freely, out of its usual ponytail, and disheveled. Naruto walked over to him nervously, stopping when he was a few feet away .Itachi's eyes narrowed and cut over to Sasuke, then back to Naruto. He looked him up and down, his eyes stopping at his face. Naruto quirked his lips, feeling awkward under Itachi's intense scrutiny.

"Um, hi…," he trailed off awkwardly.

"Is Sasuke okay?" he asked simply. Naruto could hear the anguish in his voice. He could see the worry and exhaustion in Itachi's expression. He felt the tension leave his body and his expression soften. It made him oddly happy to see that his brother was so concerned about Sasuke.

Naruto nodded slowly. "He's okay for now I guess. He calmed down."

Itachi sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair. He didn't reply for a bit, looking at Naruto apprehensively. He averted his eyes for a bit and looked up at the sky. They stood in silence for a bit, until Itachi let out a sad sigh.

"I can tell he doesn't want to talk me right now; I don't really blame him. But I just want to make sure he's okay. I feel somehow it's all my fault."

Naruto smiled sadly. "I don't really know what's going on right now, but I can tell that it's not your fault. At least you came out to check on him, it shows that at least you cared enough to. So you can't be _that _ bad. Well, as far as I know." He laughed, scratching the back of his head.

Itachi narrowed his eyes, watching Naruto. He cocked his head to the side. Finally, he smiled.

"You must really like Sasuke, don't you?"

Naruto gaped, taken by surprise. He felt himself blushing slightly.

"I-uh, I…I don't know what you mean, I—"

He was cut off by Itachi's soft laughter. "I'm only joking. Well, not completely. You must like him or at least care about him to drive all the way out _here_. I remember you from the other day, and I know you weren't that close to here. You drove all the way out here to make sure he was alright. It makes me really happy to see that Sasuke has friends like that." Naruto smiled nervously and waved his hand dismissively.

"It wasn't that bad of a drive, really. It was no problem."

"What's your name?"

"Uhhh, Naruto…," he trailed off, confused. Itachi nodded.

"Thank you, Naruto. Please make sure Sasuke's alright for me. He's not as strong as he likes to think. He's such a fragile person but so stubborn. He doesn't like to feel like he needs help, even when he does. I wish I could be there for him all the time, but I'm halfway across the world most of the time and barely get to see him. I know you live in the dorms with him, so you'll see him more often than I will. Please, take care of him for me, okay? I know it seems like a lot to ask, especially if you don't feel the way about him that I think you do. But I just wanna make sure he's okay; I wanna be sure he's actually _happy._ You seem like a good friend and he really needs someone like that in his life, especially since his life has just been so hard. I know it sounds like I'm rambling right now, but it's just that I'm worried about him and right now there's nothing I can do since he refuses to talk to me. Just…," he stopped running his hands through his hair," take care of him. And don't hurt him. When everyone in his life just seems to hurt him, he needs someone there to show him that people aren't all bad."

Naruto felt himself smiling widely, happy with Itachi's words. He could really see the extent of Itachi's love for Sasuke and he couldn't help but feel some kind of respect for him. It was amazing of Itachi to put so much trust in him. He felt honored. Now, he definitely had to watch over Sasuke, for himself and Itachi's sake.

Bringing his hand to his head in a mock solute, he stood up straight." Of course I will. You don't even have to ask."

Itachi smiled tiredly, feeling his exhaustion finally catching up with him. He looked over at Sasuke who was gazing at him bitterly. He nodded his head, still smiling. Sasuke scoffed and turned his head the other way. "Tell Sasuke I love him for me. I'm still gonna be in town for a while if he wants to talk to me. He can call me whenever, I'll come if he needs me."

"I'll be sure to tell him. It was nice to finally meet you, Sasuke actually told me some stuff about you. All good stuff of course."

Itachi nodded. "That's good to hear. It was nice meeting you too. I trust that you'll take good care of him. But if you ever hurt him, I swear to God I will kill you with my bare hands."

Naruto laughed nervously at his serious expression. He turned away, waving as he walked toward the car.

"See you later!" he called out. He opened the car door and smiled.

Sasuke watched as he slid into the driver's seat.

"So-?"

"Everything's fine; I told him you were okay. He told me to tell you he loves you."

Sasuke scoffed. "Whatever." He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, worn out from everything that happened today. He could already feel himself drifting off.

Naruto started the car and maneuvered it out of the odd way he parked it. He turned on the radio to a rock channel and looked over. Sasuke was fast asleep, his chest rising and falling. Naruto smiled, brushing his hair out of his face. With one last wave to Itachi, he sped down the dark streets, singing along to the music on the radio.

* * *

**A/N: So that's chapter 15. Again, I'm really sorry for taking so long to update. I've just been _buried_ in homework(because I'm the idiot who takes all AP clasees T_T) among** **other things. I'll try my best not to make the next updates so far apart, and don't worry! I won't just abandon Pulse! I could never abandon my baby.**

**With that aside, I hope you liked this chapter, thanks for reading, and please tell me what you think :3**


	16. Consciousness

**A/N: Hello all, this is finally chapter 16! SO, there's a few problems I must address:****1)My laptop is broken (using my sister's for this one) ****2)School is kicking my butt. Hard. ****SO I'm doing my best with updates, I have all the chapters pretty much drafted out, so please bare with me. Also, with school and all, I've been too tired to update and I didn't wanna just come on here and type up a half-assed chapter...you guys deserve the best writing I can possibly give! :D ****But anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, let me know what you think.**

**Sidebar: to answer a question, no, I am not a psychology major, though I hope to be one! :3**

**I don't own Naruto.**

_******Consciousness:** A state of awareness of internal events and of the external environment._

* * *

"Hey, can you grab that black duffel bag out of the back seat?"

Sasuke shook his head. He reached into the back of the old orange Mustang and grabbed the bag, letting out a distressed huff.

"What the hell is in here, _bricks_?" He struggled to hold it, the weight of the bag pulling him down. His camera smacked him hard on the chest from the effort. It dangled, swinging back and forth.

Naruto laughed and grabbed the bag from Sasuke. He sat it down on top of the other bags and smiled.

"_Maybe~~_" He reached around and grabbed his guitar case, putting it on his back. Sasuke grabbed another bag and dropped it on the pile.

"You know, you're gonna have to play for me while we're here. I'm actually pretty curious about how you sound." He grabbed his bag and slammed the back door shut with his foot.

Naruto put his hands together and brought them to his face, blinking and smiling like an infatuated school girl. "But of course Master, anything for you!" he finished in a high pitched voice. Sasuke rolled his eyes and snorted, making Naruto laugh. "That was the plan. I didn't just bring it for decoration."

Sasuke scoffed and turned to the large pile. He picked up his tripod bag and turned away. "Whatever, _smartass_. Let's get all these bags into the house."

They had arrived at Naruto's godfather's lake house. It was in a nice secluded section with its own private part of the beach. It was surrounded by weeping willows and evergreen trees. The windows took up most of the house, giving it a lot of natural lighting. The breeze ruffled Sasuke's hair as he hoisted a bag over his shoulder and trudged up the path. Naruto followed close on his heels, humming softly behind him. Once they made it to the door, Sasuke maneuvered the bag further over his shoulder and opened the door. They dropped the bags down in the middle of the room. Sasuke let his eyes wander as he examined the room. It was furnished with the bare minimum; a couch and a love seat, a small table, and a rug. Far off, he could see a fridge and tiny stove in a room that looked like the kitchen. Beads hung from the doorway in place of the door.

"Well...welcome to our humble abode. It's been a while since I've been here, I'm surprised it still looks this nice," Naruto commented, offhandedly. He looked around for a bit and then stopped, his eyes landing on Sasuke. He watched him as he looked around. He was glad that Sasuke had returned to normal since the other day; Naruto was afraid that he'd close himself up and become standoffish. Sasuke still seemed sad and worn out, but that was to be expected, especially since he was an emotional wreck when Naruto found him.

One thing that still worried him since then was Sasuke trying to hurt himself. He knew that Sasuke wasn't the best with coping with his problems, but that's why he'd brought him out here. He wanted to get Sasuke away for a while; give him some time to rest and clear his head and hopefully _heal_. He didn't want Sasuke cutting, starving, or depressed. Just the thought of it made his chest hurt. He wanted to help him _so much_, and this felt like his only chance. He didn't know _what_ he was going to do was help him, but what he _did_ know was that he couldn't mess this up.

He turned his head and noticed Sasuke looking at him with tired eyes. He raised an eyebrow and quirked his lips to the side.

"Lost in thought already?" His eyes lingered on Naruto, waiting for him to answer.

"Uh, yea, sorry about that. Soooo...yea." He stood, smiling awkwardly. Sasuke rolled his eyes an walked further in to the house.

"Stop being so uptight; _relax_. Isn't that what we're here for?" His voice traveled from the kitchen as Naruto stood in place, smiling.

"Hey! Our roles are reversed, don't you think? _I _should be telling _you_ to relax!" Naruto called out to him. He heard Sasuke scoff as his light footsteps padded across the floor.

"You're right, which is why _you_ need to relax. I didn't let you drag me all the way out here for nothing." He walked back out to the front room and crossed his arms.

Naruto laughed softly. "You make it seem like I kidnapped you or something!"

"Well, what other term would _you _use for it? It's not like I was willing."

"That's what she said..."Naruto muttered giggling. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Naruto, that is exactly what she said, because she's a _whore_," he deadpanned."Seriously? Are we seriously doing 'that's what she said jokes'?"

Naruto clicked his tongue. "_Touché_. And yes, we are. Come on, Mr. Grumpy pants, now it's time for _you _to relax," he cooed in baby-talk. Naruto could see Sasuke struggling not to smile. Eventually, Sasuke lost and turned away so Naruto wouldn't see him smiling. Naruto laughed, poking Sasuke in the side.

"You're such a dork. I don't have time for this, I'm tired and I need a nap," Sasuke huffed, still smiling.

Naruto grabbed him by the hand, still laughing, and led him towards the back."Fine, fine, party pooper. You can take one of these rooms, I'm gonna start unpacking some stuff. Sweet dreams, _princess_."

Sasuke smirked tiredly."Why thank you, m'lord. And as _princess_ I call the biggest bed."

"Wha-that's not fair! If I'm _lord_, then I get the biggest bed!" He whined.

"Nope. Ladies first."

Naruto smiled. "You're right. Gotta let my _bitches_ go first." Sasuke turned and glared at him. Naruto threw up his hands innocently. Sasuke turned sharply, pulling his hand free from Naruto's. He made his way down the hallway, opening the first door he saw. To his delight, it was the one with a king sized bed.

"Whatever, I still call the biggest bed..._bitch_."

* * *

The sounds of chords filled the room. The sun had started to set, and a breeze had come in, blowing through the open slide doors. Naruto ignored the wind as it ruffled his hair, choosing to focus on the chords. He hummed softly to himself as he played. His guitar was propped in his lap as he sat cross-legged in a corner with his notepad at his feet. Looking to the side, he watched as Sasuke stared down at his paper with a look of concentration. He held charcoal pencils of different sizes in each hand as he examined the paper. Naruto sat his guitar down and slid over next to him. He peeked over his shoulder, looking at the blank page. After a few minutes of silence, he let out a breath and leaned in closer.

"...You gonna draw something...? The paper's kinda blank." Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto smiled.

"_Oh my God_, I didn't even notice. I could've sworn that I had a beautiful work of art on the page." He sat the charcoals down and looked back at Naruto. "I can't really think of anything to draw. I'm blanking right now."

Naruto thought for a bit until he got an idea. He wasn't sure if he should say it, but figured it was worth a shot."Hey...maybe you could draw me?" Naruto suggested

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Well that's a little conceited of you, don't you think?"

"Wha-I don't mean it like that," he whined," it's just...I wanna see how you draw people. I mean, I've seen you draw _people _I just...wanna see you...draw...me...,"he trailed off awkwardly, scratching his head. Sasuke scoffed and picked his charcoals back up.

"Sure. That actually doesn't sound too bad." He looked down at the page for a second and started talking, not looking up. "Play me something. _On your guitar_."

Naruto blinked, confused. Then, he nodded slowly and slid back over to his guitar. Sasuke waited for him to get comfortable, watching as he plucked a few strings, and then nodded. He caught eyes with Naruto, waiting for him to say something.

"Well then, Sasuke m'darling, what shall I be playing for you today?" He strummed softly, shaking his head.

"Whatever you want, I don't care." Naruto nodded and began strumming softly. Sasuke watched as Naruto sat with his legs crossed, his head down and eyes closed as he continued playing. He went to work drawing him, a quick coal-sketch. He drew in quick strokes as he listened to the music and tried to capture the_ feeling_ in the picture.

"_And I'd give up forever to touch you, 'cause I know that you feel me somehow. You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be and I don't wanna go home right now~~_"

Sasuke looked up and stopped drawing, his mouth gaping.

"_And all I can taste is this moment, and all I can breathe is your light~~_"

He was surprised at just how _good _Naruto's voice was. It was soft and soulful, yet powerful. He could feel it going through his chest, touching his heart. He shook his head and went back to drawing, swaying slowly to the music. It was _beautiful_.

"_'Cause sooner or later it's over, and I don't wanna miss you tonight~~_"

He'd finished drawing Naruto's hunched over form and began to shade it. It was coming along pretty good; he'd managed to capture the essence of the music in the picture, in Naruto's face.

"_And I don't want the world to see me, 'cause I don't think that they'd understand,_"

He opened his eyes and looked up at Sasuke, watching as he drew. Sasuke quickly shaded the background and finished up the last of the guitar.

"_When everything's meant to be broken, I just want you to know who I am~~_" Naruto stopped playing and sat his guitar in his lap.

"That was...you're really good. Amazing, actually," Sasuke complimented sincerely. Naruto smiled, slightly embarrassed.

"Hehee, thanks...well how'd it come out?" He slid over next to Sasuke and looked at the drawing.

"_Wow_...it's…_wow_..." he breathed out. No matter what, Sasuke's drawings never failed to take his breath away. Looking at himself hunched over, playing the guitar in the drawing made him feel like he was looking at a black-and-white picture of himself. It was that perfect.

Sasuke sat silently, looking at the picture. At first he was smiling, but it slowly morphed into a frown. The longer he looked at it, the more he realized just how _wrong _it was.

"_Fuck it_, I'll be a stripper."

Naruto looked up at the sudden break in silence, an eyebrow raised.

"What're you talking about?"

Sasuke shook his head."It's just, I thought I had really captured the _feeling_ and the _mood_, but when I look at it, it's all wrong...maybe I should just stop drawing and become a stripper. It makes more money and it's easier"

Naruto threw his head back in laughter."It's perfectly fine! Hahaaa, your such a weirdo, I swear! It looks great and you captured everything _perfectly_. I don't think anyone could've done it any _better_." He wheezed, choking from his laughter.

Sasuke smiled."Tch, whatever. Thank you, though. I think I could've done it different though, but I guess you're right."

"It's 'cause I'm _always _right!" Naruto teased.

"_Sure..._" Naruto laughed, pushing Sasuke playfully. He had to admit, he was happy that they could just joke around like normal. It was refreshing. As he calmed down from his laughing fit, he looked outside and noticed the sunset. It would be the perfect scenery for pictures. Besides he was in the mood to go out and explore; it'd been too long since he'd last been on this beach.

"Hey, don't you still have to get some pictures for your project? I wanna go roam the beach and I know how you photographers just _love _to get those beach pictures." He waved his hands in mock-exasperation. Sasuke rolled his eyes and stood up. He sat the picture down on the coffee table and waited for Naruto.

"Well you know, every photographer has to have at least one setting-sun-beach-shot, they're to _die for._" Naruto laughed at Sasuke's teasing tone and grabbed a cardigan from out of one of his unpacked suitcases.

"Hahaa, of course!"

Sasuke grabbed his camera bag and hoisted over his shoulder. He pushed the door open and walked out, the breeze whipping his hair out of his face.

"You just go roam around and do whatever it is you do, it'll take me a bit to set up." Sasuke called out to him as he looked for a good spot to set his stuff up.

Naruto gave him a salute and trudged along the beach, leaving Sasuke to his own devices for the time being.

* * *

Sasuke sat under a weeping willow, adjusting his tripod. He settled his camera on it and looked up at Naruto, who was roaming the beach idly. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his blue cardigan. His scarf was wrapped snugly around his neck to combat the chilly wind. Sasuke frowned, wondering why he didn't think to put on his jacket before he came out; he was wearing long sleeves, but it didn't really help much. Sighing, he went back to adjusting his camera. He turned it on and crouched down in front of it, focusing it on Naruto. Naruto's eye's wandered around until they stopped on Sasuke. He smiled when he noticed Sasuke's camera and posed. Sasuke rolled his eyes and snapped the picture.

_Click_

Naruto put up the peace sign, crouching down.

_Click_

This time, he gave a softer, more genuine smile, his eyes appearing darker from the light of the setting sun.

_Click_

Sasuke smiled softly, pleased by the pictures he'd gotten. With the angle he was in plus the light of the setting sun, they came out_ stunning_. He walked around the tripod and over to Naruto. Naruto stood up and took off his scarf. He stood in front of Sasuke and wrapped it around his neck, smiling. Sasuke pouted but made no move to stop him. Naruto stepped back and hummed in approval.

"You looked a little chilly over there; I figured you'd need it."

Sasuke tightened it around his neck and sighed. He was actually grateful for the added warmth. It smelled like Naruto; a mix of cologne and musk. He nodded his head and smiled softly.

"Thanks, I really did need it. Those pictures came out amazing, by the way." He looked past Naruto, at the sunset. "Most of it could be accredited to the beautiful scenery, but I would be lying if I said that my model wasn't great."

Naruto grinned. "Well what can I say, I am an awesome model. But you should come over to the water with me, the breeze is amazing."

Sasuke shrugged."Why not?" he said, deciding to go to the water. He took off his shoes and put them next to his tripod. Naruto had already wandered to the waterfront, sitting cross-legged with a hand in the water. Sasuke went over to him and sat down with his feet in the water. The cold felt like needles in his feet, but he was too comfortable to move them. He brought his knees to his chest and rested his head in his arms. The breeze tousled his hair and swayed the scarf. He looked over to Naruto, who sat quietly, watching the waves. He turned his head and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he began to speak.

"We're gonna catch pneumonia...and die."

Naruto laughed quietly next to him. "I don't know about _you_, but my immune system is awesome. Those little guys are in there kickin' some virus _ass_." Sasuke rolled his eyes and smiled. "S'okay though, the breeze isn't too bad."

Sasuke nodded. "I guess, since you were so kind as to give me your scarf. Don't expect me to take the blame if you freeze to death," he teased.

"Tut, tut, Sasuke. I'm too _awesome_ to freeze to death! Besides, you wouldn't let me freeze, because you'd miss me too much if I was gone!"

"You just keep telling yourself that," he muttered. Naruto pouted in mock-hurt and wiped a tear form his cheek.

They sat for a bit in a companionable silence, neither of them really needing to say much. The wind picked up as it breezed across the water. Naruto watched the waves, wondering if they would come in any closer. He let out a sigh and looked over at Sasuke. Deciding that now was a better time than never, he rested his head on his knees and began to speak.

"So. Do you wanna talk?" he asked quietly.

"Hmm, about what?" Sasuke replied, hesitantly.

"Anything, everything, whatever you want. I guess now is as good a time as any."

Sasuke shook his head."...Okay, I guess I can start off with what happened a few days ago. But to understand that, I'm going to have to give you a little background." In order for Naruto to understand why his father did what he did, first he had to know the situation. He didn't want to talk too much about his mother; it would hurt too much. He decided that what he would tell him would be brief and just enough for him to understand.

Naruto nodded and smiled softly." Alright, I'm all ears." Sasuke smiled, understanding the reference to when Naruto had told him about his parents. He didn't want to talk about it, especially not so soon. All he wanted was to just bury it away and forget about it. But he knew that that would cause him to feel worse and he'd end up doing something he'd regret. If he let it sit for that long, it would explode in the worse way imaginable. It was best to talk to someone about it and who better than Naruto? Besides, after everything Naruto told him, he felt like he _at_ _least_ owed him this much. He took a deep breath and let it out loudly.

"I'm pretty sure you've already got that my mother's dead." Naruto hummed in agreement. He remained quiet, waiting for Sasuke to continue. "She died...because of me. Well, that's what my father said. I knew since I was young that she was sick, but I never knew what it was. I still to this day don't know what it was exactly. But if it wasn't for me being born...if she would've just gotten an abortion, then she would've lived…," he trailed off quietly. Naruto frowned. He moved closer to him and ran a hand through his hair.

"Sasuke..." he started," it's not your fault, I mean you couldn't have-"

"It's okay, just let me finished," Sasuke said, interrupting Naruto. Naruto nodded and sat, waiting."Me and my father have never had a good relationship because of that. He hated me for _so long_. He always told me how useless and pathetic I was. He either ignored me or harassed me. He'd given up on being my father a long time ago. My brother had been more of a father to me than he had _ever _been. I always wondered why my father hated me so much. How he could say such horrible things to his own child. How anyone could treat another person like nothing but _shit_ for so many years, especially their own son. I guess he gave me my answer. The other day...he finally told me everything. That I should be the one dead instead of my mother. How he never loved me and how he never would. How pathetic and worthless and_ useless _I am. Maybe he's right. It's all my fault so can I really blame him for hating me? To think that my mother would still be alive if I hadn't been born...it makes me hate myself." He buried his head deeper in his arms, trying to hide his tears. He was glad that he finally got it off his chest, but it _hurt_. It felt like his chest was going to explode. He heard shuffling and felt arms around him.

He looked up and locked eyes with Naruto, centimeters away from his face. Naruto brought a hand to his face and tilted his chin back, caressing his jaw with his thumb. They continued to look into each other's eyes, not blinking. Sasuke felt Naruto's thumb swiping away his tears. His vision blurred as more tears came out.

"Everything's just...it's been crazy for me. I'm not a strong person. I don't know what to do, how to _handle_ my emotions; I never have. I've been depressed since I was sixteen. That was probably the hardest time for me; my brother had moved all the way out to Sydney and I was alone. He didn't live at home anyway, but at least he was close. I could visit him and be happy for a while. Of course he didn't know what was going on, and I never really wanted him to. But once he left, it really dawned on me just how_ alone _I was, left with my father in that god-awful house. Before I knew it, I began to get worse. I couldn't eat, I was always sick from just being in that house and feeling my dad's hateful stares. Food was the last thing on my mind. Eventually, I started...cutting as a way of release. I didn't know what to do and it was the only thing I could turn to. I just-" he stopped, his words catching in his throat."I_ want_ to stop. I don't like doing this, It's not _fun_, it's doesn't make me feel _better_; I just end up feeling like _shit_. It's so hard for me to admit to_ anyone _I need help, it's...I just...it hurts. It hurts to cry in front of someone and look pathetic and weak. But I know I need help. If I don't get help, I'll _die_. I'm not one of those people who think that I have everything under control and that I'm fine. I _know _what I'm doing to myself, and I don't _want_ to _die_. Not like this."

He could hardly see Naruto through his tears. He felt Naruto's hand on his chin still, his other hand wiping away his tears. Naruto tilted his chin back farther and moved in closer. Sasuke held his breath and closed his eyes.

Their lips connected softly, barely touching. Sasuke leaned in and pressed his lips harder to Naruto's deepening the kiss. Naruto wrapped a hand around Sasuke's waist and pulled him closer. They stayed like that for a while until the need for air became too much. Sasuke panted softly as they parted, as he tried to catch his breath. They sat, their lips brushing and foreheads together. Sasuke opened his eyes halfway, looking into Naruto's darkened blues.

"You know, this wouldn't be considered consensual right?" His breath ghosted over Naruto's lips. Naruto laughed softly, his smile moving Sasuke's lips.

"_Smooth_." He moved his head away and sat up. Sasuke opened his eyes fully and looked off to the side. He didn't know what to say."You honestly don't know do you? Do you have any clue how many people_ want _you? And yet you have such low self-esteem. But I understand that it's more than that. _So much more._" He grabbed Sasuke's hand, swinging it between them. "We've been through so much together in the little time we've been friends, it's crazy. I guess that'll make us that much stronger. But don't worry," He squeezed Sasuke's hand tighter, "I won't let you die. I've been waiting for you to just let me help you, to let me..."

_'Let me love you...'_ he thought in his head.

He brushed it off and continued."Your stronger than you know; it'll take some time to see. Don't you _ever_ say that your dad is right. He's an asshole if he can say that his own _son_ deserves to die. And it's not your fault, your mom decided to keep you. If she hadn't…then you wouldn't be here with me right now…and I don't know where I'd be without you. _I'm _glad you're here and _I'm _glad you're alive. I wanna help you and I _will_. I don't know how, but I'll figure that out when I get there. "He began to stand, pulling Sasuke up with him. He smiled and brushed Sasuke's tousled hair down. "It's getting cold, let's go in."

Sasuke smiled, still wiping his tears. His chest hurt from crying and the contentment that came with Naruto's word. His heart felt like it was going to _burst_. He couldn't help but feel that maybe, for once in his life, things would _actually _go right for him. That maybe he could heal and not be so messed up; he could finally be _normal_. Letting out a sigh, he gripped Naruto's hand tighter and followed him up the beach, forgetting his camera for the time being.

"...Yeah..."

* * *

The hotel room was too silent; it gave Itachi too much time to think. For a while, he'd been thinking about Sasuke. He would have to leave for Sydney pretty soon, but he didn't want to leave things as they were. His father was angry and bitter, Sasuke was an emotional wreck, and he was pissed and confused. It didn't help that Sasuke refused to talk to him. At least a call would've been nice. He and Sasuke were so close; he didn't think something like this would be able to shatter their strong bond. Maybe he was being too dramatic. Sasuke_ had_ been pretty traumatized and he was dealing with a lot right now, so of course he wouldn't want to call him and act like everything between them was fine and dandy, but still... Itachi was worried. There was so much he didn't know, so much he didn't understand, and he didn't like that at all. It hurt to know that he had been _so_ naive as to let something like this happen, he didn't want to _ever _miss anything again. Just thinking about the crazy situation and his dumbass father had him seeing _red_.

It is true that Sasuke is 19, practically an adult, but he needed someone there for him, more than he realized. He needed someone to protect him and help him become stronger. Itachi had been there the best he could, but being so far away; there were a lot of things that he'd missed.

_'Like those pills...'_

He remebered the time back at Sasuke's dorm when he had spotted the pill bottle. Sasuke had been a particularly healthy child and hadn't suffered from any major illnesses that warranted a prescription. But as he thought it over and actually _remembered _how the bottle looked, he narrowed it down to one answer;

Anti-depressants.

His question now was since when had Sasuke needed anti-depressants? Judging by the actions of his idiotic father, he could say his whole life. But what really bothered him the most was...why hadn't Sasuke _told_ him? He never _once_ brought up anything about being clinically _depressed_ before. Did he not trust him with that kind of information? He'd practiically_ raised_ Sasuke, and he hadn't told him about any of the shit his father did _or_ being depressed?

Itachi couldn't help the feeling that there was more to it than he knew, that Sasuke was hiding something else. That he was worse off than he was letting on. He'd tried to let Sasuke live independently and to let him become the independent person that he needed to be, but enough was enough. He wasn't going to sit back and let his little brother hurt all alone, thousands of miles away. He only wanted what was best for Sasuke; he wanted him to be closer, so that he could be there for him like his father should've and his mother couldn't.

The music on the line stopped abruptly. He was grateful; the elevator music used for putting people on hold was annoying and _god-awful_. The cheerful voice of a woman chirped on the other end.

"Hello, this is Dean of Admissions at The Sydney College of Arts, Ms. Kanami Haruhime speaking. How may I help you?"

"Good evening Ms. Haruhime, this is Dr. Uchiha, I called earlier and requested to speak with you," he spoke smoothly.

Ms. Haruhime squeaked happily on the other end. "Heavens, I was quiet shell-shocked to hear I'd received a call from someone as renowned and important as you, Dr. Uchiha! I couldn't help but wonder what you could possibly want from our modest little institution..."

"I'm honoured that you know of me, but I was actually calling in for someone else. You see, I have a younger brother and I was quiet interested in him attending your wonderful art institution. He is majoring in photography, but he has other talents like drawing and painting. Sometimes even modeling-"

"What a versatile young mate I would say!" she interrupted."But of course, you can't expect anything less from someone like 's brother. In fact, as I recall your mum was a renowned photographer-bless her soul and may she rest in peace-even all the way down under."

Itachi hummed in agreement."Yes, I would say she is where he got his talents from. He is actually very good in with each talent and would be a fine addition to your institution. However, how long would you estimate the admission process to take? Surely you could speed things along for me?"

Ms. Haruhime muttered contemplatively through the phone."I don't know, it usually takes a while to review the application and also the students work and all their information and-"

"I could have that all to you by tonight. A beautiful, amazing women like yourself can surely get this all done by, say tomorrow?" he purred into the phone. He could hear Ms. Haruhime humming in concentration.

"B-b-but of course Dr. Uchiha, it would be my honor to! Just, s-send his information and I'll make it top priority," she giggled at the end, her voice dropping a few octaves. Itachi smirked, happy with the outcome.

"The honor is all mine to be able to talk to such a lovely lady. Thank you, I'll send you all the information, and I'll be sure to keep in contact with you personally."

"Oh my Go- I mean of course!" She sounded absolutely flustered."I could give you my...personal phone if you like?"

"Yes, send that along with the information you'll send to me. _I'll be waiting to hear from_ _you~~_," he ended, sensously. He heard Mrs. Haruhime let out a shaky breath, sighing dreamily as he hung up.

Itachi scoffed.

'_Women.' _He thought to himself. That was _way too easy._ He expected to have a harder time, but he wasn't one to complain.

This was perfect. Maybe a change in scenery was what Sasuke needed; maybe it was what was best for him. It was about time that he left this god-forsaken country he calls home.

* * *

**A/N: This one is kind of fluffy. Also, I kinda wanted to show how Itachi is when he's in 'professional mode'; a lot more formal and a big a** vocabulary :3 Well, he is a doctor. Also threw in a little bit of his play-boy skills ;) I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.**

**P.S.) I _really _read you guy's reviews and take a lot of what you say in to consideration. Some for the story and others...for other things. For example, after reading a particular review, I am now in love with Stumbleine :3 lol. I usually listen to music to help get my mind flowing and I have to say that most of 16 was done listening to them and Shiny Toy Guns. Among other artist, but mostly them.**

**Anywho, so thanks for reading, i hope you guys enjoyed it. 17 may or may not be a special, long overdue chapter, 18 maybe...19 would be pushing it. I'm trying to deliberate but I don't know. So just expect one of those two to be awesome ;3 Please tell me what you think.**

**Random question: what age do I come off as? I'm just curious to know O:**


	17. Frame

**A/N: Annnndddd. I'm so freakin sorry, there's a lot of crap that's been going on and I'm really sorry for updating so late. I feel _terrible._ But. At least I got this up finally. Not gonna gone done the large list of reasons why I took so long, I'm just gonna spare it and move on. So anyway, here's chapter 17. I loaded it with a lot of stuff because I felt like with the delay, I should be on t least 21...and I'm on 17. Which is crap, but what can I do. Again, thank you all so much for faves, reviews, follows, and all that, the really do motivate me and keep me working. I really do appreciate them. So, without further ado, here's chapter 17. I really hope you guys like it :3...if not...sorry...but enjoy.**

**I don't own Naruto**

_******Frame:** A particular description of a choice; the perspective from which a choice is described or framed affects how a decision is made and which option is ultimately exercised._

* * *

Naruto moved the phone from his ear, listening for the sound of movement in the other room. He sighed in relief when all he was greeted with was soft breathing. He put the phone back to his ears and continued on with his conversation.

"Sorry about that, Sak, I was just making sure I didn't wake Sasuke up." He could practically see Sakura rolling her eyes.

"You sure laughed loud enough to. I swear you have the loudest laugh in the world."

Naruto smiled, rolling _his _eyes."Whatever, you know you love it."

Sakura scoffed."_Sure_, whatever you say Naru. Speaking of which how is Sasuke? I figured _he _would be the only reason you'd rush of to Lemingway at that time of night, you sure as hell wouldn't do it for _me_. Jk, Jk babes. But seriously. And then you guys all of a sudden decide to take a 'vacation'-which I'm sure is just your excuse to have hot sex with him all day long without us in the way-so something must've been wrong. So is everything okay now?"

Naruto felt his face heat up, probably as red as his shirt. He gaped until words came to him, though non-too-coherent.

"Sa-sak-Sakura! I-I The Hell?! You're so embarrassing, I swear. And too damn perceptive," he answered, once he wasn't a stuttering mess.

Sakura laughed evilly."I was right! You _did_ go on a vacation to have sex!"He heard her pull the phone away and call out to Ino.

"_SakuraSakuraSakura_!" he called, to get her attention. The _last _thing he needed was Ino running around telling_ that_ to the world.

"Yes?" she answered, sweet and innocently. Naruto rolled his eyes. Sakura was the _farthest _thing from innocent.

"That is_ not _the reason I brought him out here...perv." He let out a sigh."But you were right, it was him I drove out there for, and something was wrong, but everything's okay...well as close to okay as it's gonna get for now. So yea, everything's all good. What goin on with you guys back on campus?"

"..._Fine,_ I guess that's all I'll get from you, so I'll take it. No need for me to pry," she grumbled, unsatisfied. Naruto hummed in approval."Everything's fine, were just doing the usual: getting drunk, partying, and crashing wherever we are"

"Well, aren't you just an amazing role model?" He teased. He could practically see the eye roll he knew Sakura most likely gave him.

"The fuck _ever, you're _one to talk, Mr. Always the first to get drunk off your _ass in the first five minutes_!" She countered.

"HA!" he laughed."Don't get me started on the time when you were completely _smashed _and you totally peed in the-"

"Fuck-What the_ fuck_?!"

Naruto looked up from the phone, blinking in confusion, Sakura's laughter stopping abruptly. That sounded like Sasuke's voice just now. He could've sworn that Sasuke was asleep. Well, he was the last time he checked.

"...Naru? Is everything okay?" Sakura asked in concern.

He shrugged, not thinking about the fact that she couldn't see him."Ummm, I'm not sure. That was Sasuke just now and I think he's angr-"

"Who the _fuck _decides shit like that? I'm fuckin _nineteen_, not _nine_! Fuckin' _bastard_!"

...

...

...

"...yea, you might wanna go check that out, tell me if everything's okay." She said, interest in her voice. It was always something going on between those two, and now was no exception. She'd pry everything out of him later, she figured.

"Someone's not much of a morning person I guess," he mumbled, earning a laugh from Sakura.

"Obviously. You go handle that and call me whenever. Later."

Naruto said goodbye and pressed end. He looked up, wondering what in the world was going on. It was nine in the morning and they've done absolutely _nothing _yet, so why was Sasuke so angry all of a sudden? He stood up to go and assess the situation. He walked out just in time to see a groggy, angry Sasuke harshly dialing some number. Sasuke put the phone to his ear, waiting impatiently and not taking notice of Naruto in the room.

_'Poor phone' _he thought.

Naruto could hear a deep voice start on the other line, but was quickly cut off by Sasuke.

"You've got some motherfucking _nerve_, you know that? The University of Sydney called telling me that I've been accepted. You know anything about that?" he asked, sarcastically. He paused for a bit as the voice on the other went on. His scowl deepened more and more as the other talked. Naruto frowned in concern.

".._What the hell_? I'm nineteen, dammit! I don't need you trying to control my life! I already told you to leave me the fuck _alone_! I'm done with you!" He hung up the phone and chucked it at the wall. He plopped down on the couch, putting his face in his hands.

Naruto walked over to him tentatively. He watched as Sasuke breathed in and out deeply, trying to calm himself down.

"Well..." he started, "good morning to you too." Sasuke didn't look up, continuing to breathe in and out. He moved his hands to his head to massage his temples. Naruto walked closer, stopping right in front of him. He crouched down in front of him and began.

"Is everything okay?" Sasuke gave him a look that made him retract."_Okay, okay,_ I know that was a dumb question. How about, what's wrong?"

Sasuke sighed, putting his head back down. "My brother is being an idiot, that's what's wrong. He registered me to some college in Sydney and he expects me to fly out there _next week_, just like that. He didn't call me. He didn't ask for my input, just signed me up for some goddamned school and _told _me I was going there." He stopped for a bit, and started again, sarcasm heavy in his muffled voice," Because _obviously_ I don't control my own life and can't make decisions for myself, and _of course _my opinion doesn't matter. He thinks he knows what's best for me, but honestly he doesn't have a single clue." Naruto sat for a bit, taking all that information in. He understood where Sasuke was coming from, but his brother was only doing what he thought was best.

"Well that's hardly fair." Naruto said slowly."Shouldn't you at least hear him out? Well, I mean, not like consider the idea, but _damn_, he couldn't get a word in. Maybe he wanted to apologize."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and laughed bitterly."Itachi? Please, he's not someone who makes decisions without thinking about them, and he's _definitely _not someone to change his mind once he's made it up. He's been thinking about this for a_ long _time and that's what pisses me off the most. I already told him back home, I'm done with him, so he can go back to Sydney and continue on with his happy life and pretend I don't exist."

Naruto frowned. So _that's_ what this was about. He could tell that under all the current anger and even deeper under all the love he held for his brother, there was some hidden animosity. For leaving him? He had said that Itachi left him to deal with his father for years while he lived his life in Sydney. So maybe that was it, the thing that was embellishing his anger toward his brother _way _more than what seemed rational. Sasuke felt some sense of abandonment toward his brother.

_'We'll leave that one for another day,' _He thought to himself. For now, he should focus on the situation at hand; talking some sense into Sasuke.

"Honestly, Sasuke, you're _not _thinking clearly here."

Sasuke looked up, narrowing his eyes at Naruto's comment. Naruto went on, unaffected by his heated glare."I mean, I don't really understand you guy's relationship, but I do know that he practically raised you when your mother couldn't and your father wouldn't. What could be that bad for you to just disown him? And think about it, it's like you said. You _are_ nineteen, a legal adult, so he can do whatever he wants, _hell,_ he could sign you up for some kind of sex slave ring, but in the end, you have the final say. Well...I'm not sure about _that_ situation, but you get my point. It's kind of harsh to just shut him down like that."He could feel Sasuke's eyes, trying to burn a hole through him."You know I care about you, so I _won't _sugarcoat things for you. As much as I don't want you to go, I still think you handled that terribly. Don't push him away, you definitely need him, I can tell. It makes me worry how you'll react if _I _slip up and do something you don't like, how you'll react. But that's beside the point, what's most important is that he's your family and that you need him. Take it from me, family's all you have and once their gone-"

"Don't you think I _know _that?" he exploded. He put his head down and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. Naruto sat patiently and waited for him to speak. Once Sasuke felt like he was calm enough to not flip out, he brought his head back up. "Dammit if I_ don't _know that," he said, calmer this time. "So maybe I overreacted, I know, but my brother makes me so angry sometimes when he tries to control my life. I know he raised me and I know he loves me, but enough is enough. And shut the hell up, if I wanted to be rid of you, I would've a long time ago. You've done a lot of things I don't like, but It's a little too late for that now. I'm stuck with you."

Naruto smiled softly and grabbed Sasuke's pant leg. He tugged it, earning a half-hearted glare from Sasuke.

"You're such a brat. I don't want you to leave me, though, sooooo, you should politely decline his offer."

Sasuke rolled his eyes."And weren't you just arguing not even five minutes ago about me overreacting?"

Naruto shrugged."_Yea_, I was just saying you were overreacting, I didn't say anything about your brother being _right_. Geez Sasuke, you need to listen more," he teased."It'd really suck if you left."

"Well I didn't plan on going anywhere anyway. And don't you go developing some kind of weird dependency on me," he commented.

"Co-depency,"Naruto corrected, "you need me as much as I need you," he said, matter-of-factly. Sasuke snorted but didn't argue. Instead, he got up and stretched.

"Whatever. It's too early for this, I'm going back to bed," he muttered. He walked toward the back of the house, not sparring Naruto a second glance.

"Whatever, lazy butt, don't sleep in too long!" he called after him. He got a grunt of confirmation from Sasuke before the door was shut.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon as they lounged out on the beach, Sasuke taking pictures and Naruto strumming away happily on his guitar. The constant click of the camera mixed with the cheerful chords made for serene background noise. Sasuke turned and got a picture of Naruto as he strummed, humming softly. Naruto flashed him a big grin and strummed an odd diminished chord, before stopping.

"You know Sasuke, you've created a monster. It's been so long since I've played on this guitar, I don't think I'll ever stop."

Sasuke grunted in acknowledgement. He dropped his camera, which made a dull thud against his chest, and looked up."I wouldn't particularly mind that. You're not half bad."

"Oh Sasuke," Naruto drawled,"don't choose _now _to get all shy with your compliments. You've never had a problem layin' em' on pretty thick."

Sasuke rolled his eyes."It's because I don't wanna inflate your already large ego. Guess I'm too late. Maybe I should try insulting you a little more?"

Naruto grinned."Hit me with your best shot." He sat his guitar down next to him and crossed his arms, waiting. Sasuke strolled over to him and crouched down, so they could be eye to eye.

"Well, for one, your voice is terrible, you sound like a dying cat."

"Mhmm."

"And you can't play for _shit_."

"I see."

"And let's not mention your pictures. _My lord_, they're terrible. My camera is actually considering suicide with the idea of holding all of those pictures inside of it."

"..."

"..."

Naruto pushed Sasuke's shoulder making him stumble back. He waved his arms frantically to try and keep his balance. Once he did, he narrowed his eyes at Naruto, who was holding his stomach and laughing.

"Damn, those would be some hurtful insults if you weren't such an _awful _liar." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You're like the fifth person to tell me that this year. Am I really that bad?"

Naruto laughed harder at the slight whine in Sasuke's voice "Man, you suck, sorry to say." He reached over and pushed Sasuke again, this time actually knocking him over. Sasuke landed with a soft 'umfph' as Naruto hovered over him on all fours. He raised an eyebrow nonchalantly.

"You just insist on raping me, don't you?"

_"Sasuke is such a dork, because he sucks so bad a lying that it hurts~~" _Naruto sung off key and horribly out of tune.

Sasuke groaned. "You're such a dork."

"_Anndddd he wishes he was as awesome as me, which he isn't, because he suckkkssss~~~"_

"..."

Naruto sat back on his heels."_Buttt, that's okay,'cause by the end of the week, my awesomeness shall rub off on him~~_" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively_."If you know what I mean!~~~"_

"And this is where I leave." With that, he slid from under Naruto and stood up, dusting himself off. He looked down at Naruto." You're so gay."

_"Ohhh the irony of that statement~~"_

Sasuke rolled his eyes."I'm not gay."

"Have I ever told you what an_ awful_ liar you were?" Naruto smiled, mischieviously.

"...have I ever told you how much of a _dork _you are?"

Naruto smiled and got up, brushing off his pants."All the time babe, all the time. Now come one, I'm hungry!"

"Didn't you eat like twenty minutes ago? I swear, you're like a vacuum."

Naruto waved his hand dismissively."Details, details. Well how about you go do whatever it is that Sasukes do and I'll go cook. Sound good?"

Sasuke nodded, walking toward the door."Whatever stops you from singing. I swear, your gonna have animal control on our asses for animal abused," he smirked. Naruto pushed him through the threshold.

"Har har, you're cool. Now, now, off with you." He shooed Sasuke away as he went to the kitchen. Sasuke shrugged and pulled out his phone, putting on shuffle so he could listen to music and maybe even get some work done.

* * *

"Come on, I just made food, you should eat."

Sasuke shook his head and sighed. "For the last time today, I'm not hungry," he muttered

"Just eat. It won't kill you," he commented absent mindedly, not actually thinking over his words. When Naruto looked up, he flinched. Sasuke leveled him a heavy glare, the look in his eyes making him feel guilty."Wait, I didn't mean it like that," he amended. What the_ hell_ was he thinking? God, he felt like an idiot. Sasuke said nothing, still glaring at Naruto. They stood for a bit in the loaded silence until Naruto sighed

"I'm sorry, I know that was_ extremely _insensitive, I wasn't really thinking. Please talk to me." He saw Sasuke visibly relax and let out a breath before slowly shuffling to the table. He sat down and looked directly at Naruto.

"Just stop, it's okay." He brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. His head rested against his knees as watched Naruto move to kitchen to retrieve the food. He could feel his anxiety rising but ignored it, telling himself that it was no big deal.

Naruto quickly put the food on plates, careful not to put too much. He looked over his shoulder at Sasuke, watching him for a bit. He couldn't help but admire the way his hair fell over his face; the way the darkness of it contrasted with his pale skin. His eyes were hidden behind his hair so he couldn't see them. Sasuke grumbled suddenly and flipped his hair out of his face. He immediately looked up and they locked eyes. Naruto gave him a wry smile, his stomach churning at what he saw. Although Sasuke's face remained a tired, stoic mask, Naruto could read all the emotion in his eyes; he could see the fear, anxiety, and sheer torture in them. It hurt. Like_ hell_. Especially since it felt like it was his fault. The longer he looked into Sasuke's eyes, the lower his heart sank. So he turned away.

The main purpose for bringing Sasuke here was not only to give him a break from all the craziness going on, but to make him face his problems. Being at school, he had tons of distractions and things to keep his mind preoccupied. But out here, in a lake house on a secluded beach with not a single television or computer, he didn't have much to distract him. Naruto really wanted him to acknowledge and face his problems; only then could he get better. Last night on the beach was a giant leap in the right direction. Sasuke had accepted the fact that he had problems and needed help. And Naruto wanted to help him. But right now, he felt so _guilty_. He was doing the right thing by trying to get Sasuke to eat something, but the look in Sasuke's eyes made him want to just throw the food away in the trash and tell him that he never had to eat again . Was helping Sasuke really worth hurting him?

Yes, Naruto decided, yes it was. It was the only way.

He knew that he could never completely _heal _Sasuke, as much as he wished it. Sasuke's problems were _far_ greater than his scope, but what he could do was be there for him and at least _try_. He knew that at some point, Sasuke would have to go and get help, and the thought of Sasuke being away from him _terrified _him. So for now, he would push that all away and focus on right now; this small step. Grabbing both plates, he walked to the table.

* * *

They'd sat in silence for a bit-it'd only really been ten minutes, but to Naruto, it felt like forever-neither making a sound. He tried not to stare; pretending like nothing unusual was taking place. All they were doing was eating a friendly meal.

_Yep_. Nothing unusual about that.

They sat for a bit longer, the tension in the room getting thicker and thicker. Naruto felt as if he would choke from the pressure of it until...

...the sound of the fork clattering to the plate broke Naruto from his thoughts. He looked up and saw Sasuke with his knees tighter to his chest. His eyes were closed and his eyebrows were knit together in frustration.

"This is pissing me off. I _can't _do this." Naruto stood up and went over to him, putting an arm around his shoulder. Sasuke shrugged it off and groaned.

"I'm sorry," Naruto started, quietly, "I mean, if it feels like I'm pressuring you or anything like that, I'm not. Really, I'm sorr-"

"Seriously, stop apologizing, it's nothing like that," Sasuke interrupted exasperatedly."I'm mostly frustrated with_ myself_. I keep thinking _'It's okay, just eat' _but I _can't_. Not like _this_, being watched and it's just-uggghh!" he groaned, grabbing his hair. "I'm so annoyed right now I could just flip this fucking table."

"_...Let's not do that_," Naruto said tentatively, his voice raising an octave. Sasuke felt his anger and tension slowly leaving his body. He looked up at Naruto, a small smile on his face and humor in his eyes. Something about Naruto's tone was so oddly comical. The look in Sasuke's eyes made Naruto light up. A large smile took over his face. He felt happy that somehow, Sasuke managed to not stay depressed. It seemed like he just got over it, which was saying _a lot_. This was_ Sasuke_, the guy who could hold onto his anger like nobody's business, and he'd fight tooth and nail before he let it go. Especially looking back at all their fights. Maybe it was just because he was welcoming this distraction. Whatever the reason, this was major progress if Naruto could say so himself. Feeling a little brave, he brought a hand to Sasuke's face and stroked it softly. He pulled it back and poked his cheek. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and leaned to the side in an attempt to move away. Naruto leaned over and pulled him back, causing them both to topple over to the floor. Naruto fell on top of Sasuke, knocking the wind out of him. He rolled to the side, laughing as he reached for Sasuke, who swatted his hand away.

"_Jesus _Naruto, it feels like I got hit by a truck," he rasped, winded. Naruto rolled his eyes and flopped to his back. He looked up at Sasuke, who'd already sat and crossed his legs, and smiled. Sasuke stretched and cracked his back. Naruto felt himself relax as he watched Sasuke above him. He took his hand and snaked it around Sasuke's waist. He slowly traced Sasuke's spine, humming absent mindedly.

"Let's try this again later, okay?" Sasuke said, almost as if he was talking to himself. He sounded a bit dejected and dissappointed, but it was okay. There was always tomorrow. They could keep trying until something gave. Naruto nodded and said nothing. He continued to move his hand up and down Sasuke's back and started to sing the itsy bitsy spider. Sasuke raised and eyebrow and looked down at him.

"So..." Naruto started.

"So?"

"….'sup?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed. "Nothing much. You look like you're thinking about something."

"Well," Naruto started, hesitantly.

"Go on…"

"So...I know this may be a horrible time to ask this, and I suck at timing, but I know this is kinda unavoidable... but _this_," he moved his hand up Sasuke's back to emphasis his point,"...what are we?"

Sasuke scoffed."I _had _to ask. _Where_ did this come from all of a sudden?"

Naruto shrugged." I don't know. It's not really that sudden, well I'm mean in this situation sure, but I've been thinking about it since like a week ago. You know...what happened back at my dorm...and besides, from what just happened a few minutes ago, I'm sure a change of topic is in due order. Anything to lighten the mood...maybe even get you to smile..."he trailed off.

"Hmmm," he hummed in agreement, "I'm all for a change in topic, but I'm not sure about _this_ specific topic. Isn't there something else we can talk about? Sports?_ Weather_? And besides, is it really that important?"

Naruto bit his lip unsurely."Well I mean, I guess it's not _that _important, considering everything else that we have to worry about, but is it wrong of me to want to know?"

Sasuke sighed."It is what is. Putting labels on things just makes it complicated," he finished dismissively. Naruto clicked his tongue in frustration.

"Sasuke, I understand that this isn't really easy for_ you _and please understand that I'm not being insensitive. I know, or at least I'm beginning to comprehend what you're going through. I can see how hard all of this is for you, but you know how I feel about you and about all of _this_. I'm not trying to force _anything _but I just wanna know what this is...or if it's better for you, what this _isn't_, because I'd hate to get my hate to get my hopes up thinking this is something that it's not. I don't wanna get hurt just as much as you don't," he finished quietly.

Sasuke's eyes widened in shock. He never really thought of it that way. He'd been so concerned with himself; about all his problems and all his insecurities, he hadn't even _once _thought of how all this was affecting Naruto. As much as he could get hurt in all this...whatever _this _was...so could Naruto. Had he really been that inconsiderate? Granted, he _was _dealing with _a lot_, but he could've been a little more empathetic to how Naruto was feeling. He felt so...so...

_Terrible._

Letting out a long sigh, he reached down with shaky hands and placed them into Naruto's hair. Naruto looked at him, the look in his eyes telling him that he could feel Sasuke shaking. This was in no way _easy_. Even though a lot has happened between them, even though they've been close like this before, it was in moments of vulnerability. Times where he wasn't clearly concious of his actions. Back at Naruto's dorm, or him breaking down on a random lawn, or even the other day when he was bearing his soul to Naruto out on the beach-they were all times when his guard was down. But now, conciously being this close to Naruto, willingly bringing himself closer and closer to his face, it scared the _hell _out of him.

Naruto sat and watched Sasuke silently, waiting. Unsurely, Sasuke closed the distance between them, their lips touching. His hair fell over their faces, tickling Naruto's cheeks. It was a soft, sweet kiss, slow and simple, almost like it was an experiment. A first kiss between them. Sasuke pulled back slowly and averted his eyes.

"Have I...have I really been that self-absorbed lately?" he asked softly. Naruto laced their hand together and smiled.

"I wouldn't call it that. It's just, burying yourself in your problems like that, it's not good for you. You'll be so focused on what's there that you won't be able to see a solution. Just problems. Not even the world...or people around you."

"So then maybe it's time I pull my head out of my ass and stop sulking in my problems, and worry about fixing them, is what you're saying."

Naruto laughed."You say potato, I say patato." He could feel the vibrations of Sasuke's laugh through his chest, since Sasuke was still leaning on him.

"Sometimes," Sasuke started, leaning fully on Naruto, "your wit surprises me. I guess you're more than just a pretty face," he teased.

"Hey, just because I'm a blond, and a sexy one at that-I mean come one, have you seen me?-doesn't mean I'm _completely _dumb. Even I have my moments."

"However far and so few," Sasuke muttered. Naruto pouted and nudged Sasuke with his elbow, but said nothing."This…it can be whatever you want it to be. I'm not good with defining things like this. Just assume what you think is right."

Naruto smiled."You're giving me a lot of creative license here Sasuke, you sure you don't wanna set some boundaries or at least _terms_"

Sasuke shook his head." As long as you don't go around saying I'm like I'm a crack whore sex slave from Amsterdam who've you married for God knows why, then we're good.

Naruto laughed softly."I need help translating that from weirdo Sasuke speak to English."

"I'm ashamed, you should know how to do that by now."

"Mehh, I'm still learning. I'm tired"

Sasuke made a soft noise of acknowledgement. They sat in a companionable silence. Sasuke closed his eyes as Naruto hummed softy. For now, he felt pretty good. Hopefully, he could get past the rest of the week without any hitches. It may be asking for much, but who's to say he can't hope? Maybe things'll work out for the better. Sighing, he noticed that the humming had stopped. He could feel that Naruto's breathing had evened out. He sat up and looked down, and surely enough, Naruto was fast asleep.

"...Hey, wakeup..."

When Naruto didn't reply, he sighed. Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to his forehead and smiled.

"Idiot..."

* * *

Leaving out of the bathroom, Sasuke walked into his room and closed the door. He'd taken a shower and got ready for bed. Naruto had already crashed in his room. When Sasuke finally managed to get him awake enough to walk to his room, he plopped down on the bed and had been asleep ever since. So now, he was left to his own devices, in the peaceful silence of the lake house. Deciding to get this over with while Naruto was asleep, he sat on his bed and grabbed his phone. He dialed the number he knew by heart, but didn't click send. He felt pretty bad for treating Itachi like how he had been these past few days. Itachi only meant well and it wasn't like he'd intentionally tried to hurt him. All he did was probably what IheI thought was best for Sasuke, in his weird, Itachi way, which usually involved him making some decision for Sasuke and expecting him to follow it without any complaints. Sure, that was just fine when Sasuke was younger and Itachi was pretty much his mother and father wrapped in one. But now, Sasuke was way too old to have his life decided for him. Sometimes he wondered if Itachi understood that.

Deciding to get it over with, he pressed send and held his breath.

_One ring.._

_Two rings.._

_Three rings.._

_Four rings.._

_**'Hey, sorry I-'**_

Voicemail.

Sasuke let out his breath and waited for Itachi's voice to stop and the beep to sound so he could get this over with.

Once the beep sounded, Sasuke took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and started, feeling his pride crumble away.

"Itachi...hi, look, I'm calling to say I'm sorry. I overreacted,I understand that now, but _you _have to understand that you can't just go around making decisions for me. I know you had my best intentions at heart, but still. And about the other day, I'm really sorry for acting like a brat and not talking to you or telling you anything, it's just that I know you worry about me and with your job and stress," he felt himself smile slightly, humor in his tone," especially since you like to sleep on the side of the damn road, I thought the last thing you needed was to worry about me. So, sorry and I love you, really. Call me back when you-"

The sound of the line picking up made him pause. He could hear his brother's laugh through the phone.

"Sasuke, I swear, you're such a sweetheart. Honestly, you're just too much! I worry about you because I love you, so I definetly won't stop. And the less you tell me, the more I'll worry." He paused and sighed, resignedly."I guess I was being a bit of a bastard but like you said, I have your best intentions at heart. I still do and I still think my decision is best, but you're right you're nineteen, so whatever."

Sasuke sat gaping for a bit. Itachi was listening the whole time? Why the _hell _didn't he pick up the phone then?

"You-how long have you been listening? You should've answered the damn phone, bastard." Itachi laughed through the phone and rolled his eyes.

"The whole time. I was too lazy to pick up the phone and I didn't think it was you anyway, and any important work related stuff comes in from my cell phone."

Sasuke scoffed."Lazy ass. I feel stupid now."

"Don't. I'm glad you called me. Well, surprised mostly. I know how long you can hold a grudge, so I figured it'll be awhile until you called, especially with what happened a few hours ago."

"Whatever, I don't hold grudges," he muttered. He felt himself relaxing, grateful that things were going pretty well.

"_Okay,_" Itachi scoffed, "So is everything okay now? I mean with us?"

Sasuke smiled wryly as he replied."Yea, I guess, I wouldn't say that everything's fine now, but I guess I can tolerate you...for the time being. No sense in weighing myself down with pointless anger."

Itachi sighed."Stubborn as always, I see, but I'll take. So, I take it you're saying no to my offer?" Itachi asked, seriously. Now that things were back on somewhat decent terms, he wanted to discuss this seriously with Sasuke."I want to talk seriously about this, instead of jumping to conclusions and decisions. So don't through a tantrum and hang up."

Sasuke sighed exasperatedly into the phone."I'm not going to just pick up everything and leave to Sydney, halfway through the school year. And I don't want to go there now."

"You make no sense, you know that? Since you were able to spell your name, you've always wanted to learn photography like mother and later on decided that you _wanted_ to go to SCA _just like her_. You had your heart set on there for forever, why the sudden change now?"

"Things change, Itachi. I did want to go there a long time ago, but I can't now. I'm already here, I've already been in this school for two years, and I'm already settled. I just...I can't just leave"

"There's nothing left for you there," Itachi started, wearily, "honestly, there isn't. You said it yourself, you wanted to leave that goddamn country, and it's so much more oppurtunity out here, especially for artists like yourself. I'm not trying to be one of those people who move somewhere and constantly brag about how much better their new home is and shit talk their old one. I'm being serious. There's just so much more for you out here, Sasuke."

"...I'm sorry." Sasuke said softly. That was all he could say. He understood Itachi, even _he _knew that there was so much more for him out there, but he couldn't leave. He knew the real reason he couldn't leave, but he couldn't even admit it to _himself_, much less Itachi.

It was silent on the other end for a bit. Neither of them said anything. Sasuke waited impatiently

"Tell me," Itachi started, pensively, "is it because of that blond haired boy?"

Sasuke's eyes widened, stunned. Why did he bring Naruto up all of a sudden? He didn't know what to say. Though he didn't have to say anything, since Itachi started right back up.

"I don't know what's going on between you two, but I am grateful for him being there when I couldn't. It seems like you trust him, maybe even more than me. But is he really worth whatever you're going through?"

This time, Sasuke did find something to say."What the hell are you talking about? It's not because of him that I'm staying, and I'm _not_ going through _anything _right now. And even if I was going through something, it wouldn't be his fault."

"Defensive, are we?" he commented."Sasuke, I can tell something's wrong. I know, I might not have noticed it early, I was too wrapped up in work and other things, and I hate to say that our dick of a father was right about _anything_, but he was right about the fact that I was out in Sydney and that I don't understand some things, _a lot _of things. But I want to try to, and I want to help you with whatever you're going through. Just, think about it before you go and dismiss the idea, okay?"

"You just don't understand, do you? I'm just one infinitely small part of an aching humanity. People are suffering from much worse, so whatever I'm going through is nothing compared to that."

"There you go, getting all defensive. You only talk like that to hide what you're really feeling. Stop it. Stop undermining yourself, Sasuke. _Fuck_ what anybody else has told you, you're worth getting help. Just stop it I swear, it pisses me off to hear you talk that way about yourself, like you're not worth the ground that you walk on. It's like an extreme inferiority complex."

"It's way more than that," Sasuke muttered.

"Sasuke...you'll talk to me. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you. I want to sit down and talk about _everything _that I've missed and _everything _going on with you okay? I feel like such a failure."

"Don't blame yourself, really. It's not your fault..." he trailed of quietly.

"Promise me, you'll think about it? About coming out here and doing something _more _with your life?"

Sasuke sighed resignedly."Fine. I'm not saying yes or no, just that I'll think about it."

"Thank you."Itachi said softly."That's all I could ever ask of you. I'll talk to you later." He hung up, leaving Sasuke to listen to the sound of the dial tone as he sat, torn and completely confused.

What reason did he have to stay? What was stopping him from going? Ever since he could remember, he'd always wanted to go to SCA. But with the death of his mother, his dreams had died too. With his father's constant negative words, he felt like he wasn't good enough to go there. So now, he was practically being handed admission on a silver platter. There wasn't anything out here for him, artists could hardly make enough to feed themselves here, while the VA scene in Sydney was thriving with young artist and models and all different kinds of people into the arts. It seemed like the perfect place for him to be. He'd even heard of a place-he didn't like to think about it, because it made him feel _weak _to admit he needed it-a rehab center that specialized in co morbid people like him. He could still go to school full time if he wanted. And he'd even get to be out there with his brother, who he needed_ way _more than he could _ever_ admit too. With the thought of going somewhere and getting better, getting _normal_, and still going to the school that he'd wanted to since he could walk, he couldn't help but think that that sounded like the perfect oppurtunity...

So what was holding him back?

* * *

**A/N: ...'Dem cliffhangers. So there's 17. I would say that it was a pretty eventful, stepping stone kind of chapter. I hadn't originlly planned to put so much in one chapter, but with how long it's been since I've updated, I couldn't just do a fluff chapter, so I said f*** it, I'll load this one up. I really hope i didn't have _too_ ****much going on, but oh well. At some points, namely when Naruto said "just eat, it won't kill you" I didn't mean for him to come off as a douche, but just to show that he's only human, and even he gets slightly impatient. But anywho. Please tell me what you think, and review! :3**

**Sidenote: Maybe it's because we've been so heavily into Shakespeare in my Lit. class, but I've noticed I've given a lot of soliloquy's to my characters, namely Itachi, especially at the end of chp. I believe 5 or 6 and 16. I just noticed this now. Lol**

**Random other thing:I use lots of Italics. Which is weird because I'm a pretty monotonous person, however my thoughts are extremely expressive. mehh.**


	18. Anxiety

**A/N: Hello, all, and finally, here's chapter 18. Gotta say, I'm feeling kinda ehhhh about this one. I'm not sure, you guys tell me if you like it...or if it's just terrible-in the nicest way possible of course. So, I finally got some computer access and I may be getting a new laptop soon, so heres to quicker updates, hopefully! Anyway, please read and tell me what you think, good or bad. Quick sidebar: VA means visual arts(refereced in 17) hanja is Korean writing(like how japan uses kanji,katakana,hiragana and china uses characters) also, if you ever see something like IthisI in my writing, those I's mean it was supposed to be italicized but I missed it...so yea. That's all, please enjoy.**

**I don't own Naruto.**

_**Anxiety: An intense emotional response caused by the preconscious recognition that a repressed conflict is about to emerge into consciousness**_

* * *

Waking with a start, Naruto gasped, sitting up. He looked around wildly for a bit until his quick pants melted into soft laughter. He'd just waken up from a crazy dream, ending in him falling off a cliff. Letting out one last chuckle, he threw back the sheets and grimaced. His body was covered in a sheen of sweat and he looked extremely red.

"Myehh. Looks like I just had sex or something," he joked to himself. The light shone over him, illuminating the sweat on his body, giving him a glowing affect. He smiled and posed, feeling like a greased-up body builder. He kicked his leg over the side of the bed and stood up, stretching and groaning. Looking over at the nightstand, he noticed that his phone was missing.

_'Probably left it in the front'_ he mused.

Finishing his stretches, he stopped and listened for any noises or sounds of life. The house was completely silent, save for his soft breathing. He tried to see if he could hear Sasuke's light footsteps or soft breathing, signaling he was either walking around idly or asleep.

"...Sasuke?," he called, experimentally. No answer. He called again louder, still getting no reply. Stepping out of his room and into the front, he saw that it was empty. Huh, Sasuke must've still been asleep. An orange phone case caught his attention and he smiled, finally locating his phone. He ran to the couch triumphantly, picking it up and unlocking it.

_**3 New Message(s):**_

_**Sak**_

_**Hey, everything okay? You'd better call or text me and let me know what's goin on, I want all the details. No holdin out Naru!**_

Rolling his eyes, he clicked out and scrolled down to the next message.

_**Kiba**_

_**Ey, we were s'posed to kick ass all break together on Xbox live, but noooo, instead I hear from Sakura that you left off on some sexapade with your new little boyfriend. The hell man? Whatever you get better be worth the ass whoopin' you'll get when you get back bro.**_

Naruto could admit to feeling slightly guilty for abandoning Kiba in his gaming, but it could wait. The game would always be there for him to play whenever; Sasuke was more important. Sighing, he scrolled down to the next message

_**Gaara**_

_**I feel like there's a lot we need to talk about.**_

This one left Naruto a little confused. It was vague and seemed almost as if Gaara was asking _him _if they had anything to talk about. Shrugging, he decided to push it to the back of his mind for the time being. With a groan, he locked his phone and threw it back on the couch.

"Morning."

Naruto jumped in shock and turned, staring at a disheveled and drowsy Sasuke. His eyes were slightly dark and he had small bags, signs of a bad night. Once Naruto's heart stopped beating from the surprise, he smiled and walked over to him, pulling him into an embrace.

"G'mornin'. Looks like someone didn't sleep well," he murmured, burying his face in Sasuke hair. He felt Sasuke's hands come to his chest and push him away."Well then, someone's a little grumpy."

Sasuke wrinkled his nose in distaste."You're sweaty and it's gross. I don't want to be covered in sweat. And my night wasn't too terrible, just not able to get to sleep until late." He walked over to Naruto and frowned, poking him in the arm."Seriously, take a shower, this is gross. What the hell were you doing last night?"

Sasuke immediately regret asking that question after Naruto wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Wouldn't you like to know?~~"

"No, not really. Keep your masturbation stories to yourself," he teased. Naruto pouted and huffed, "and go take a shower."

Waving his hands in surrender, Naruto walked toward the back, to gather a towel, soap, and shampoo. He cradled them in his arms and held them tight to his chest."Happy now?"

Sasuke smiled."The only thing that could make me happier is you actually _getting in_ the shower."

"_Yea yea yea, I'm going, I'm going_." Naruto huffed and turned away, grumpily treading toward the bathroom. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Stop being such a baby."

An unintelligible whine came as Naruto's reply, earning another eye roll from Sasuke. He turned and plopped down on the couch. He decided to try to relax, maybe even catch a quick nap; anything to clear his head. The sound of the shower turning on made him smirk victoriously as he closed his eyes and hummed to himself, waiting for Naruto to return. After a good five minutes of laying their idly, his thoughts began to nag at his mind.

'Uggh, I need a distraction.'

Sitting up, he pulled his phone out, deciding to finally check his voicemail. A few days ago, he'd gotten a voicemail from Fugaku. At the time, he'd been too pissed off to even _think_ about listening to it. Now…anything was a welcome distraction from his hyperactive thoughts. Sighing, he typed in the code and waited.

**_(1) New Voice mail_**

**_"I'm calling to tell you know that I'm not just going to sit here and let you get away with vandalizing and destroying my home. I spoke to the authorities and I will press charges and have you committed to a mental ward you-"_**

"Oh, what the _fuck _ever," Sasuke sighed out exasperatedly. He was over this. _Beyond _over it. It was time for his father to get over it. Besides, he had more important matters to attend to. Closing his phone and locking it, he tossed it over to his bed and plopped down. Slowly but surely, his mind began to stray back on what was nagging at him all night.

Earlier this morning, he'd done more research on the rehab center that he'd heard about. Everything was quick and accessible from the university, and it was pretty cheap. One of his main things was that he didn't want Itachi paying his way all the time, but their rates were pretty good. On top of that, he had the opportunity to get a scholarship to SCA if he'd sent in a portfolio of his photographs, as well as some of his art. He stood up and began to pace, mulling over everything. As he continued to pace absent-mindedly, Naruto came out of the bathroom to get the shampoo he'd left.

"Hey Sasuke, have you seen my-"

He stopped and raised an eyebrow at Sasuke, who currently had a hand threaded through his hair in frustration. Naruto crossed his arms and stood there, watching curiously. Every so often, Sasuke would make some little noise or grunt, to Naruto's amusement.

Sasuke felt like he wanted to punch something. The more he researched it all, the better it sounded. The center was close to where Itachi lived and extremely versatile with his college schedule, allowing him to still be able to attend to a certain extent. The student housing was also close to the center, so he'd be able to travel there pretty conveniently. Everything sounded perfect, so why was the decision so hard to make?

_'Because I don't want to admit Itachi's right'_ he thought, bitterly.

Because Itachi_ was _right. The only thing that was holding him back was Naruto. Putting it that way may seem harsh, but it's true. What he had with Naruto was unlike anything he'd ever had before. He'd never had someone care so much for him and worry and stress about him, and to willingly give that up seemed crazy...especially since he doubted he'd meet _anyone_ like him again. It hurt his pride to admit, and he sure as hell would never tell him that. So what the hell was he supposed to do? The conversation from last night didn't help at all either.

_Sasuke sat up, yawning, His eyes were half lidded from exhaustion and the burning back light of his phone. It was three am and he'd been looking into the rehab center that Itachi had suggested for a while now, as well as SCA. Scrolling down the webpage, he smirked sleepily at the somewhat appealing intro._

_**SCA; a place where beautiful minds thrive. Here, you are free to be what you want, free to cultivate your creativity and your talent. Let our beautiful scenery be your muse; our lovely institution your canvas. Paint a picture,express yourself through dance,display your charisma as a model, show yourself on stage, sing a captivating melody, capture the world with a lens; do whatever you've been gifted with to express yourself and your story and share you unique abilities with the world.**_

_He felt a smile take the place of his smirk. That sounded really good. A place where he could be free to do whatever the hell he wanted, and not worried about being reprimanded for not having and orthodox job. Fucking perfect. As he continued to scroll, his screen suddenly went black, then a message popped up. He frowned at the unfamiliar number. Clicking it, his frowned deepened._

_"...Who the hell texted me in Korean?" Once he got over his initial surprise and actually read the message, he saw that it was from his cousin Shisui, inquiring about him. He narrowed his eyes, suspicious of Shisui's motives. It'd been years since he'd spoken to Shisui, so why was he texting now. His brain lazily deciphered the Korean hanja, his suspicions confirmed._

_**'Not gonna lie little cousin, I was talking to Itachi the other day and he told me everything about what Fugaku did and him trying to persuade you to go to Sydney. I know you don't have the type of phone where you can type in hanja, and I don't feel like typing in terribly broken english, so I'm gonna call you. Pick up. And if you're sleep, wake your ass up and pick up.'**_

_Sasuke sighed resignedly and waited for the familiar vibration of a phone call. Once it did, he picked it up quickly._

_"What?" he answered moodily. Shisui laughed softy at his tone._

_"Moody and impatient as ever, I see. Well then, I guess I'll cut to the chase. I just wanted to see if you were alright, really. It's been so long since I've spoken with you, and I kinda miss you, the little brat that you are. You should visit sometimes, yea? But that's beside the point. So, how have you been?"_

_Sasuke let out a sigh. Admittedly, he'd missed his cousin. He was an odd, straightforward, and strange person. It truly had been a long time._

_"I'm fine...well as fine as I'm gonna be for now." No sense in lying to him, he always knew everything, a quality he vaguely sensed in Naruto. Maybe it was a psychologist thing? Pushing that thought away, he focused his attention back on Shisui._

_"You could be doing so much better than you are now, is what you're saying." Sasuke hummed in approval._

_"I guess. Hey Shisui..."he started, softly,"I guess since you're calling, you know everything, or at least enough, so tell me...what do you think I should do?" Maybe he could give Sasuke some insight on what to do in this confusing situation._

_Shisui hummed softly, in thought."Hmm, well let me start by saying this; Itachi, he's such a book smart, perceptive person normally, so much so that it pisses me off. But when it comes to you, he's so focused on keeping you happy,on believing that you're his sweet little brother from long ago, that he's missing the big picture. That being what's wrong with you. I can name at least four things, because I'm me and I can see these things, but I'll keep that to myself. But anyway, it's because of that, because of some of the things I've hinted to that he's being really hard on himself now. He feels like he owes it to Mikoto to ensure your happiness, and now he feels like a failure. He only has what's best for you in mind, Sasu, so don't be so hard on him. He's doing that enough himself. And with life as stressful as it is for him, being a neurosurgeon all the way in Sydney, with no family within a thousand mile radius...it's hard for him. As much as he argues that you need to be out there for your own health, he needs you too. More than you'd care to believe, of that I'm sure. Maybe it's not my place to talk to you like I know what's going on seeing as it has been years since I've even heard your voice,much less seen you, but that's just something I think you need to consider."_

_Sasuke smiled softly, clicking his tongue."I can see the years have changed you. That was the most indirect, biased answer I've ever heard. What happened to the straightforward cousin 'Sui that I'm used too?"_

_Shisui laughed on the other end, amused by the familiar nickname."He changes with the situation. In this one, I can't give you the answer, that is yours to make. I'm only giving you my thoughts. And I can't help but be biased, since I'm not all too clear on your side and why you choose to stay in that hell hole. Well..Itachi did bring up something about a cute blond-haired boy but-"_

_"Please don't," Sasuke interrupted, exasperated,"I can't deal with that side of the story tonight."_

_"Hit the nail on the head, huh?" he asked, his tone sounding self satisfied."Love has it's reasons I guess, and it makes you do crazy things."_

_Sasuke frowned at that, shaking his head."Love is too strong of a word to say so early. Maybe it's...contentment? I don't know, maybe it is love and I'm to naïve to see it, or just too stubborn to admit it. And I'm not that much of a kid as to be blinded by feelings and choose that over my well being."_

_"Then what's stopping you, then?" Shisui asked, in a serious tone. Sasuke didn't reply; he couldn't. Because if he did, he'd just end up contradicting himself. Shisui huffed on the other end."Maybe it's just your pride. Not many people willingly go to a rehab center."_

_"Yea, it's like admitting to myself that I'm crazy. I mean, I already know that I am, but going to a rehab center? It's just one small step away from being committed."_

_He could hear Shisui's sardonic laugh through the phone."We're all a little insane, Sasu, some just hide it better. You obviously didn't do that well of a job. Seriously though, there is a difference between being clinically insane and having issues. You have problems, and your coping methods are terrible. Think of it as correctional therapy, not a nut house. Those are two separate entities with two separate purposes; one to help people with hope to heal, and the other to throw away the ones that society has given up on. I'd like to believe there still is some hope left for you?"_

_"There is."_

_"Well then, don't waste it. You know your answer, you're just being stubborn." _

_Sasuke sighed, internally agreeing. "Whatever..."_

_Shisui laughed on the other end."Brat. I'm gonna let you get to sleep since it's pretty late over there-or should I say early?-well whatever, get to sleep, you need it. Good night, and I love you."_

_Sasuke could feel his eyelids growing heavier, but he smiled despite them and yawned."Yea, yea, I love you too."_

It seemed like everything was in favor of him leaving, and it _seemed _like the best thing to do...

But still.

He was _torn_. And what made it worse was that _no one_ understood _why._ Itachi and Shisui saw it as just a passing crush, saw him as just a teenager in puppy love, but it was _so much more_. Naruto did things for him that he never thought possible, and he didn't think that he could just give that up. It just...it was just...too much to think on for him. He felt like his brain would just _shut down _if he kept-

"Boo!"

Sasuke jumped and instinctively pulled away from the pair of arms wrapped around his torso. He frowned as Naruto laughed, the vibration shaking them both.

"_Jesus_ Sasuke, think any harder and you'll give yourself and aneurysm!," he laughed, clutching Sasuke to his chest. Sasuke pulled away and crossed his arms.

"Well aren't you cool? You manage to scare the shit out of me and completely crash my train of thought," he muttered, hiding the relief he felt at being pulled from his frustrating musings. "And you're still sweaty, weren't you just in the shower?"

Naryto pulled away and pouted."I was about to get in, until I remembered that I left my shampoo." Naruto turned and began walking toward the back. "Seriously, Sasuke, don't think too hard on _whatever_ it is you're thinking about-no, I won't pry-just, relax or something, 'kay? And take a nap, those bags under your eyes ain't sexy," he teased. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, hurry up and shower, I guess I'll wait out here for you."

Naruto smiled at that, opening the bathroom door. He turned and looked back at Sasuke." 'Kay, maybe we can sit around and do nothing? I'm feeling lazy today."

Sasuke nodded in agreement, then swatted him away. Naruto laughed and shook his head, stepping into the bathroom and closing the door.

* * *

Light shone through the window as Sasuke stood idly in the front room, absent mindedly looking around. Unlike earlier, where he had millions of thoughts flying around in his mind, not a single thought crossed it now. Maybe he'd burned himself out. Shaking his head, he crossed his arms to clear the dazed-empty feeling from his head. He began to hum to himself on of his favorite songs, until a loud noise blared through the room. Looking around, he located the source of the annoying noise. He picked it up and tsked. Naruto's phone continued to ring. Sasuke fiddled around with it, trying anything to stop the ring.

"Naruto," he called, still tinkering with the phone. Finally, he clicked something and it stopped, causing a message to flash up on the screen.

**_Konan_**

_**"Hey cutie, long time no see, you up to hangout sometime soon? ;)**_

"...hmm." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the strange text. He wasn't sure what to make of.._.this_."Come out here , you got a text."

"You goin' through my phone, Uchiha?" came a muffled reply from the back room. Sasuke scoffed and cross his arms.

"I'm not nearly as nosy, idiot, your ringer was annoying so I stopped it." He shifted his weight from one hip to the other, waiting for Naruto to come take the offending object.

Naruto stepped out into the living room, dressed only in a pair of shorts. A towel rested on his still-wet hair from his shower earlier. He walked over to Sasuke and grabbed his phone, reading the message. He looked at it for a few seconds, then shook his head and locked it. Tossing it to the couch, he moved his hands to his head and continued drying his hair. He looked at Sasuke through his bangs, a small smile playing on his lips

"Do you remember the time we went to that café?"

Sasuke grunted in acknowledgement.

Naruto went on, his voice muffled by the towel over his face. "This is that blue haired cash register girl. I promised I'd hang with her, but I guess I never really got around to it." He moved the towel from his face and settled it on his shoulders. He looked at Sasuke and smiled."Maybe it's because you take up most of my time."

Sasuke gave him a look, the rolled his eyes. "I remember her." He answered shortly, not acknowledging the second part of Naruto's explanation.

"Yea?" He asked, humor in his voice. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"...Yes, I remember her, she had the lesbian piercing under her lip and everything."

"...You sure?" Naruto coaxed.

"_Yes_."

"_Positive_?"

"Naruto, what the fuck?" Sasuke sighed out, annoyed. "I _remember _her. If you ask me one more time, I'm gonna _punch _you."

Naruto threw his hands up in an I-surrender gesture, shaking his head. "I'm just making sure, 'cause that look you gave me screamed 'liar'"Sasuke gave him an exasperated look and scoffed."See!"

"Why would I care if you're lying or not? It's not my business who you talk to." The stood, staring at each other, Sasuke's eyebrows raised in a _'Well?' gesture _and Naruto smiling away. Finally, he sighed and turned away, walking back towards his room. He pushed the beads out of the doorway as he walked.

"You _suck _at this whole 'boyfriend' thing, you know?" he said, his voice sounding far away as he walked,"I was hoping to see you get all jealous~~" he teased. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"For one, that word makes me cringe, so let's not. And two, it's been what, a day? Besides, even if I was jealous, you sure as _hell _wouldn't know."

"Awww but jealous Sasuke must be soo _cute_!" He called out.

Sasuke smirked. "Stop being a weirdo. I'm not_ cute_."

Naruto's muffled laughed came in response. "_Whatever _you say."

Everything went quiet as Naruto dried himself off in the back, leaving Sasuke to his own devices. Sasuke looked out the window for a bit deciding whether the weather was good enough for him to go out. Deeming it to cold, he turned away and sighed.

"Aye...aye," Naruto called. Sasuke ignored him, turning to his room. He pushed passed the annoying beads and stopped in the middle of the room with his hands on his hips. Clothes and papers were scattered across the floor. It was odd, seing as he was a usually tidy person.

_' I'm getting lazy' _he mused internally.

"Aye . Aye girl I _know _you here me talkin' to you,"Naruto persisted in a deep voice. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"_What _could you possibly want?" He called out shortly.

Naruto made something similar to a whine. "Come _here_, I wanna talk. Don't keep yourself in your room like a hermit."

"Bitch. Maybe I want to be a hermit," he muttered as he walked to Naruto's room. Naruto laughed but decided not to comment.

"Come come, sit sit." Naruto leaned down and patted his mattress. Sasuke crossed the room reluctantly, not really sure of what Naruto was up to, and sat cross-legged on Naruto's bed, admiring the soft comforter. He waited for Naruto to get comfortable in front of him. Naruto smiled and grabbed his hands, pulling him forward. He laughed at Sasuke's resulting 'yelp' of surprise, earning himself a light punch to the shoulder. His face twisted into mock-hurt. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You're a bad actor."

"So I've been told." Naruto scooted closer, their knees touching. He revelled at the contact; the slight tingle he felt whenever they touched always sent shivers down his spine. The expression on Sasuke's face made him smile. He looked calm and attentitive, as if he actually cared what Naruto had to say, completely contradictary to his blow-offish attitude he displayed when he came into the room. Naruto smiled softly.

"Well for one," he started, cocking his head to the side,"I've been curious to see when you're portfolio project you're doing of me, I wanna see what awesome shots you got." Sasuke snorted, but Naruto continued before he could interrupt."Aaaanndd. I have to finish my project soon. I'm not sure, but I think the professor said it'll be due the first class after break...so yea."

Sasuke shook his head."Yea, I'm pretty much done, the scenery out here gave me the shots that I needed to pull it all together. Though I'm pretty curious what you wrote about me for _your_ project. I can only imagine how...crazy I'll come off in to your professor," he finished, laughing lightheartedly. Naruto smiled and leaned in closer, planting a hand on either side of Sasuke.

"Yeppp," he sighed out."It's funny that the thing that made us friends isn't even that important anymore. Like, these projects were the only reason we started talking and now all _this_ happened and it's just like...fuck the project, it's the last thing on my mind."

"Don't say it like that," Sasuke muttered,"you make it sound so...cliche."

Naruto laughed softly."'Cause it is? Everybody's story's just a bit cliche if you think about it. Ours, maybe it's extremely cliché but eh, what can we do?" Sasuke shrugged.

"Something extremely unpredictable maybe. Though I get what you're saying, our whole purpose of being friends did get off track, mostly because of _me._"

Naruto shrugged, mimicking him with a slight smirk."I won't deny that, but It's been for the best, hasn't it? I mean, look at us, we've gotten _pretty _far and close in this short time, and most of it is from dealing with problems and all that."

"...don't get all mushy on me. I don't know what kinds of lovey dovey girlfriends you've had before, but I assure you, I'm the _farthest _thing from it."

Naruto barked with laughter, his body shaking causing Sasuke to shake from their closeness. He grabbed and laced their fingers together, leaning in close. "You're a lot more lovey dovey than you think. But I don't mind, if I wanted someone all mushy, I would've dated a girl. What about you, Sasuke? I'm sure you've been interested in a few people before me."

Sasuke scoffed lightly."Hmm, not really, it's not everyday some blond-haired guy walks up to me and practically _forces_ his way into my life," he teased. Naruto rolled his eyes."And what about you? I'm sure you've had a few girlfriends here and there. Hopefully you're not the promiscuous type."

Naruto snorted."Well, yea, I've had my fair share of girlfriends, and _yea_, I'm no virgin, but I wouldn't go so far to say I'm promiscuous. That kinda implies _a lot_, dont'cha think?" He leaned back, making Sasuke fall forward. Sasuke pulled forward until he fell back, this continuing in a see-saw fashion.

"Just making sure I didn't get myself involved with some kind of man whore."

"Awww, your so sweet," he said sarcastically." If it helps, I guess that makes me _your_ man whore now."

"Yes, you're my _dirty_ man whore," Sasuke said suggestively. Naruto stopped and raised an eyebrow, smiling humorously.

"Not quite sure if I should pursue that topic any further."

"Probably not. Let's try to keep the conversation PG, if we can help it."

"That may be a bit difficult with us. Hey," Naruto started his tone curious."So, you haven't really been interested in _anyone, _ so what are you?"

"...A human?" Sasuke answered, confused. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"No no no, I mean like, how do you...sexually identify yourself? Gay, straight...lesbian," he finished, smirking.

"Well you should've just sai that, it would've been easier to understand."

"Whatever, just answer the question, meanie."

Sasuke rolled his eyes, but complied."I don't believe in terms such as homo or heterosexuality. Love is love and _that _is the only label it needs. All those other labels are just unnecessary and quite redundant."

Naruto smiled, feeling his chest swell. That was possibly the most _amazing _thing he'd ever heard from him. And it was the last thing he would've expected out of Sasuke's mouth. He leaned back, pulling Sasuke forward.

"So that's why you keep saying your not gay?" Naruto asked, leaning further back. Sasuke shrugged and pulled back, making Naruto lean forward.

"Because I'm not gay...I'm just falling for a blonde haired weirdo," he teased. Naruto grinned happily. "And you?" Naruto shrugged nonchalantly.

"I don't know, I just never understood how _anyone_ could limit themselves to just one gender, you know? There's like six billion people in the world and you're just gonna eliminate half the population just because they aren't the opposite gender? It's like denying yourself love."

"Hmm." Sasuke lifted both of their hands, examining the back of Naruto's. "So when, pray tell, did you have this...revelation? No epiphany sounds better." He smirked."So when did you have this epiphany?"

"I don't know, I guess I've always thought that way. My parents were pretty open-minded and they made sure I was, too. They told me when I got older, I could love whoever I wanted, and they'd love me all the same."

Sasuke smiled softly."Your parents sound _amazing_. My mom was like that. She'd tell me that love was like art; It was yours to create, to make beautiful or a disaster, and it couldn't be constricted by the conformities of society. It's supposed to be free and expressive. Thinking back, my mom was _such_ a hippie," he commented offhandedly, laughing."Now my father, he was a different story. I didn't learn how he felt about it until after her death. I guess he'd suspected that I was...not that into women for a while. But anyway, one day we'd gotten into this _horrible_ argument about God knows what-this was a point in my life where I went from being all depressed and pitiful to short-tempered and angry at the world, which lead to my Manson phase in junior year, but that's a story for another day-anyway, as I was saying," Naruto laughed at Sasuke's scatter brained behavior. Sasuke rolled his eyes and continued,"so we were going back and forth and he says 'Don't tell me you're turning into some sort of fag now, huh? I don't raise little girls.' And the me at the time, angry-metalhead-junior me wasn't just gonna sit and take it, so I'm like 'Bitch!'," he made a wild gesture with his hands, mock-flipping a table. Naruto laughed and shook his head, smiling," 'I don't need this!' and I ran angrily to my room and blasted music until I couldn't hear-that is, after I destroyed my door and smashed my window of course," he finished, with an eyeroll.

Naruto laughed and brought Sasuke's hand to his lips, kissing it softly. As angry as he was to hear that his father would _ever _say _anything_ like that to him, it helped to know that Sasuke didn't just sit and take it. Well, angry-junior Sasuke, at least. He let out another chuckle at that thought, his lips still on Sasuke's hand. Sasuke raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"You _would_ find that story funny," he muttered, smiling,"but looking back, I guess it was."

Naruto shook his head, moving Sasuke's hand."Yea, I mean it's funny to imagine you destroying your window and door, goin' all hulk smash and crap. But you know, I'm just happy you shared that with me, it feels like we're getting even closer," he finished with a happy grin. Sasuke rolled his eyes at that and muttered 'mushball' under his breath, but a soft smiled played at his lips. Naruto's eyes lit up, propelling him to move closer. Sasuke stayed close, resisting the urge to shy away. This was all still so new to him, being close to another person like this. Everything in him told him to pull away; to flinch away from th hand that was now caressing his cheek and the close proximity of Naruto's face.

Their lips pressed together softly. Naruto wrapped a hand around Sasuke's waist and pulled him into his lap, pressing Sasuke flush against him. Slowly, Sasuke began to respond, his lips moving sensually with Naruto's, deepening the kiss. Sasuke felt himself giving in to his desire, ignoring the fearful part of his mind. For, once, he just wanted to _enjoy_ something. _someone_, without that nagging feeling of insecurity in the back of his mind. Relaxing, he wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck, tangling one hand into his thick blond locks. Naruto moaned softly into the kiss, biting Sasuke's bottom lip. He parted his lips slightly and gasped softly at the feeling of Naruto exploring his mouth. Their tongues fought lazily as they pressed against each other. Naruto moved his hands up Sasuke's back, feeling whatever part of his thin body that he could.

_"Tell me, is it because of that blond-haired boy?"_

Sasuke twitched slightly, shocked by the sudden memory coming to his mind. Thankfully, Naruto didn't notice.

_"Promise me you'll at least think about it? About coming out here and doing something more with your life?"_

He tried to ignore Itachi's words that were flooding his mind, pushing them back as far as he could, and focusing on the pleasure of _now_. His hand tightened almost painfully in Naruto's hair, causing Naruto to wince. He kissed back more ferverently, trying to anchor his thoughts back to _this_.

_"There's just so much more for you out here."_

Sasuke pulled away suddenly and averted his eyes. Naruto watched, confused and panting from lack of air.

"You okay?" he panted out softly. Sasuke said nothing, still looking away as he caught his breath. This was just too much. He had too many thoughts floating around in his head; it was giving him a migraine.

"..Naruto..." he started, reluctantly, his tone serious. Naruto furrowed his eyebrows, confusd by Sasuke's sudden serious aura.

"...yea?"

"After this...after these next to years when you graduate, what do you plan on doing then? I know you want to be a psychologist and all, so what then?" he asked softly. Naruto said nothing for a moment, not sure where this was coming from all of a sudden. He tried to meet eyes with Sasuke, but Sasuke still had his eyes averted, refusing to turn toward him. Sighing, he crossed his arms.

"Well, you're right, I do want to be a psychologist, so I'll probably go back for my masters and then my PhD."

"Where?"

Naruto frowned."Sasuke, if time is what you're worried about-"

"_Where_?" Sasuke interrupted. Naruto sighed resignedly and shrugged.

"Most likely in Cali. They have amazing programs for psychology, some of the best. But we have a solid two years before we have to worry about that. We'll deal with that when it comes. Geez, Sasuke, don't get all worked over something like that _now_," he finished, half-teasing.

"We may have less time than that..." Sasuke muttered.

Naruto raised an eyebrow curiously. "What?"

"It's nothing. And stop being so paranoid, I'm not worried about time, is it wrong for me to be a little curious?" He slid out of Naruto's lap and off the bed, adjusting his clothes."I'm hungry, let's go and get something to eat."

Naruto gave him a pointed look. "Will this turn out like last night?"

Sasuke shurgged."Probably. Most likely. But I'm hungry and it's worth a shot. Now let's go, I'm not in the mood for twenty questions." With that, he walked out of the the room to the kitchen. Naruto sat, taken aback by Sasuke's sudden sour, snippy mood. He went from being calm and open, even happy, to strange, cold, and stand-offish. It felt like he'd closed himself off again. Judging by the look on Sasuke's face, something was weighing heavily on his mind. He'd noticed it yesterday, but decided not to pry. Sighing, he stood up and made his way to the kitchen.

_'I knew how Sasuke was and what I was getting into when I started this,_' He reminded himself. He looked in the kitchen and saw Sasuke staring absent-mindedly out the window, the same clouded expression from earlier on his face.

Sasuke, as much as he hated to admit it, had long since came up with an answer. He knew what he had to do. he wanted to stay and savor the time he had left with Naruto; this was the first time in his life that he could say that he'd been genuinely _happy_ since his mother's death. But what good was he to Naruto if he was moody, depressed, and all around fucked up? But most importantly,what good would he be to Naruto _dead_?

None Whatsoever.

Either way he looked at it, if he went to Sydney, it would cut his time left with Naruto short, but extend it in the long run. And if he stayed...there was no doubt in his mind that he would die. No matter how happy he currently was, he knew that on way or another, he'd get upset and d something absolutely _stupid_. He still wasn't over his depression, anxiety, or anorexia. It may have gotten better, but it was still very much _there_. He knew that Naruto would feel like a failure, like he couldn't heal him, but they both knew that was something Naruto couldn't do from the beginning. But what he _did_ do for him was far greater for him than that; He gave him the _will _to live. A reason to want to heal, a reason to actually _care_. What good would any sort of rehab be without a reason to go on, something to hold on to? he would've just went through the motions to get out of the damned system and end up spiralling back down the endless path of depression and finally giving in to the release that he'd longed for not too long ago. Now, he knew that there was more to life than his terrible past. He knew that he had a future; what once was so unimaginable was now laid out in front of him. Finally, he knew that he could be loved and that he was worth a least _something._

_And for that...he'd be forever grateful to Naruto._

* * *

**A/N: So yea. I'm workin on everything, I hope that chapter didn't seem too...ehh. I hope you guys like if, if so review, if not, still review! Hopefully I can get some more chapters up quicker, I'm trying, I promise. Thanks so much for all the favorites, reviews, flows, and love you guys have been showing me, I really appreciate it!**

**Sidenote: I'm usually posting on twitter about the progress of my story, among other things, so if you want, you could always pm me and follow me on twitter! Yes, no maybe? No?...okay T_T**


	19. Self-Awareness

**A/N: Hello everyone, it's been a looonnngggg time since i've updated, it feels good to get this chapter up finally. There has been a slight whole in my workload, but it'll get worse tomorrow, trust me. Anywho, I've taken advantage of this whole to finally flesh this chapter out. It took so long mostly because there is so much involved with it, hopefully you all won't be disssappointed. I tried my best, and I hope you guys like it. Thanks for all the faves, follows, views, reviews, they keep me motivated! I can't promise a timely updated because I've been busy, but I have a lot of chapter 20 done...so yea. Please enjoy :3**

**Also, there may be a few grammar and spelling errors, but I did my best at 3 am with a spellcheck that's being a jerk, it's been a long night...so sorry for the mistakes,**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Self-awareness: The top level of consciousness; cognizance of the autobiographical character of personally experienced events**

**_"Don't think. Please, for once, let's just feel."_**

* * *

"We need to talk."

Naruto opened his eyes and let his head lull lazily to the side. Sasuke stood in the doorway, his hands behind his back. The wind ruffled his hair and his scarf. His camera swayed lightly, hitting his chest with soft 'thuds'. He took a step outside onto the cold, lightly frosted grass. Sighing, he trudged over to Naruto, stopping once he stood over him.

"You're gonna catch a cold," Naruto commented, motioning to his bare feet.

Sasuke scoffed."This coming from the idiot laying out in the grass with no jacket on. Come inside, as I said, we need to talk." Sasuke turned and stalked back into the house. Naruto huffed and sat up, a little put off by Sasuke's recent sour mood. He walked in and sought out Sasuke, finding him leaning against the counter, his arms crossed. Naruto sat down on the floor in front of him, leaning back on his hands. He let his head fall back lazily and closed his eyes, his countenance being one of disinterest. He didn't mean to make it seem as if he didn't care, but his lack of sleep from the night before was catching up with him and he could hardly concentrate.

"So...what is it you want to talk about?"

Sasuke let out a deep sigh. No point in beating around the bush."I'm going to Sydney," he stated bluntly. Instantly, Naruto's head shot up, his eyes wide. If he wasn't awake before then he was definitely awake _now_. He locked eyes with Sasuke, looking for any signs of joking. Sasuke only returned his look with one of nonchalance. Naruto quickly stood up from the floor, frowning.

"Whoa...w-wait, didn't you...I-I..._what_?"

Sasuke scoffed. "I said, I'm going to Sydney. To live with my brother."

"I _heard_ that," Naruto near whined, annoyed by Sasuke's nonchalant tone,"what I'm confused about is _when_ did you make this decision?"

Sasuke shrugged and turned his head, looking away.

"Last night. Yesterday. I'm not sure. But anyway, I just thought that I'd let you know," he said, his tone leaving no room for questions. They stood in silence. Naruto watched Sasuke who stared back at him, his expression unreadable.

_So this was it?_

"So you...you weren't gonna talk to me about it before...y'know...making any decision?"

Sasuke gave him a pointed look. "There was no point. I've made up my mind, I'm going."

"Well...I don't know what to say...congratulations?" he finished lamely. Sasuke frowned softly, but said nothing.

"Yea...congratulations to me I guess," he said, his voice light and tone bitter. Another silence settled between them, neither knowing what to say. Sasuke let out a sigh and waited for Naruto to say something. After a few moments of nothing, he turned and padded back to his room. The sound of beads moving echoed throughout the house and then...nothing. Naruto clenched his fists tightly, his nails breaking the skin. How the hell was he supposed to respond to that?

"Sasuke!" he called out, rushing off toward the back. He pushed past the beads and stopped, coming face to face with Sasuke.

"What?"

Naruto at the annoyance in Sasuke's tone. "You didn't-when-why are you going out there? I mean, what's so special about that school that Itachi signed you up for, anyway?" Naruto was aware of how desperate he sounded, but he didn't really care. What mattered right now was understanding why Sasuke just up and decided to leave out of the blue, when he'd been so vehemently against it just the day before.

Sasuke stared a him, confused. After a few moments of nothing, his mouth formed a silent 'o' as he realized what Naruto meant. He knew nothing about SCA's significance or the rehab center. He ran a hand through his hair and looked away, trying to avoid eye contact.

"It's...this college, I've wanted to go there ever since I can remember. It's where my mother went to college for photography." Sasuke winced at his own cold and detached tone, but continued. He didn't know any other way to handle the situation than cutting himself off emotionally."There's also a great rehab center down there, for people with...problems like mine. They're really flexible with school schedules and seems like the perfect opportunity, and I figured why waste such a good chance? There's nothing holding me back, and there's no reason for me to stay." Naruto visibly flinched at that, his eyes widened slightly in surprise. Sasuke bit his lip, but said nothing.

"So...that's it? You're just gonna...go?" he asked timidly. Sasuke nodded and sighed.

"Yes."

Naruto shook his head, still confused."You're not gonna, like _consider_-"

"I've made up my mind about it," he interrupted, his voice soft but resolute. It left no room for argument.

"I-but...I guess," Naruto finished lamely. He didn't have anything to say; what could he say? Sasuke had already made up his mind about it, and it seemed there was nothing he could do to change that fact. He doubted he could get any more words in; it was obvious that Sasuke was unaffected by this, and the conversation was over judging by Sasuke's body language and disinterest. Gritting his teeth, Naruto turned and walked out silently. Sasuke watched as he left, saying nothing. Naruto stopped in his room and closed the door, letting out a shaky breath.

"Okay."

* * *

It's funny just how quickly everything changed. The atmosphere, their relationship, their dynamics..._everything_. The past few days had been going well; despite the few bumps in the road, they had become closer than ever before. But now, it felt like everything they'd had built these past few days, weeks, _months_...just shattered. It seemed as if they both were biting their tongues; so many words were left unsaid between them. One was to maintain his peace of mind, while the other was to not break down. The tension in the air was thick.

Naruto knew he couldn't argue. He had no right to.

But still...

_"There's nothing holding me back."_

What the fuck? Did the past few months mean absolutely _nothing_ to Sasuke? They practically spilled their hearts out to each other, cried together, fought, _kissed_...and what was it all for? For this, to be tossed aside and considered nothing? To just be left?

Naruto was not a dumb person, far from it. So he was aware of what all this meant for Sasuke. He could finally go to the college of his dreams and get better at the same time. He no longer had to struggle with all the problems and issues that plagued him for all these years. Naruto understood that, hell, he was all for it! But he just couldn't accept how uncaring and _cold_ Sasuke had been about it. Like leaving didn't affect him at all, as if he hadn't wanted to be here in the first place!

It hurt, feeling like nothing short of worthless. Especially since he'd actually invested so much of his heart into the broken boy. He loved him for all his imperfections, knowing that he himself was broken as well. Sometimes, though he'd never admit it to anyone, whenever they would work on their projects together or simply hangout , he would stop and think to himself that maybe Sasuke was the one for him. He always felt so at ease around him, so natural. Sometimes his mind would even put the thought in his head that maybe...maybe being with Sasuke was what love felt like. Of course he would just blush and push the thought to the back of his mind, ignoring the butterflies that would flutter furiously in his stomach for the duration of the time they were together. But now, Naruto couldn't deny his true feelings. He was sure of it.

He loved Sasuke. He was _in_ love with Sasuke.

And that just made the thought of loosing him that much more painful. He'd already dealt with loosing the ones he held close to his heart, and it had been _hard_. It took every ounce of his strength to pick up his heart, to hold himself together and continue living. Loosing someone else, he didn't know if he would survive another blow like that. It would completely _crush _him...but this time, he didn't know if he'd be able to pick up the pieces and move on. Maybe this time, he would finally just give up, wallow in his sorrows and finally let go. Many would think that he was simply being melodramatic, that this was just a teenage love, and he should get over it and move to the next person, but they could never understand how he felt.

Whenever he felt, he felt _hard._ Extreme joy, depression, love, there was no in between for him. When he loved someone, he'd do anything for that person, he'd give his life for them. He poured so much of his time, devotion, and love into Sasuke that he knew he wouldn't be able to live without him. Loosing Sasuke would destroy his heart, it would _kill_ him.

* * *

With an loud sigh, Sasuke collapsed on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. His head was pounding and he felt nauseous. His hands twitched with the urge to do something, _anything_, though with the mindset he was in right now, he knew that it would be something extremely counterproductive. Besides, he didn't need anymore scars to add on to the countless amount that already marred his pale skin. Just thinking about the situation, about what a complete _asshole_ he'd been made his head hurt. The hurt look on Naruto's face, the sorrow in his eyes, the image was permanently burned into his mind. The feeling of regret made his chest clench tightly, he felt so stupid. But it was what had to be done. It would make it easier for him if Naruto was angry at him; if he hated him and wanted nothing to do with him, then maybe it wouldn't hurt as much. Deciding that all this thinking was just giving him a migraine, Sasuke blocked all out and opted for doing something more productive.

His phone sat idly on his nightstand and he felt himself smiling bitterly at it. He figured it be best to call Itachi soon and inform him of his decision. Though he still had some doubts, he knew it was for the best. The idea of talking to Itachi made him sick. The self-satisfied tone he was sure he'd get, an unspoken 'I-told-you-so'...he hoped he'd be spared that. Maybe Itachi would sympathize with him a bit and go easy on him.

Eyes widening, Sasuke frowned at the thought. Sympathize? He didn't need anybody's sympathy. The last thin he needed was Itachi feeling_ sorry _for him, he did enough of that himself. And deep down, he knew that Naruto felt sorry for him to. So no, he had enough sympathy for one day.

Sighing, he reached over and grabbed his phone, deciding to call Itachi before he drove himself mad with his own musings. He unlocked his phone and dialed the number he knew by heart. humming softly to himself to keep his mind preoccupied. He stopped humming abruptly when he realized it was the song Naruto sang a few days earlier. The sound of the line picking up caught his attention and he waited silently.

"Sasuke?" Itachi asked apprehensively. He wasn't expecting Sasuke to call him back so soon, and the speed of his reply had him a bit wary. If he came up with a decision this soon, he could bet that it was hardly favorable.

Sasuke sighed into the phone, unaware of Itachi's mental dilemma."Itachi...I..."

"You...?" Itachi prodded, trying to get him to continue.

"I...you were right. The reason I want to stay...it is Naruto," he said quietly. It was weird, admitting this to Itachi. But this seemed like the best way to get the conversation started and explain himself at the same time.

Itachi said nothing for a bit, taken aback by this sudden information. It was pretty random of Sasuke to call him just to say that. Pursing his lips, he narrowed his eyes and grunted.

"So are you saying that you're staying? That you're just gonna give up everything for a fuc-"

"_Itachi_," Sasuke bit out, interrupting him," _Calm down_, I never said anything about if I was coming or staying, _damn_. And you would ask a question and get pissed at the answer."

Itachi let out an irritated huff. "So then what are you calling for, then?"

Sasuke didn't answer for a bit, annoyed with Itachi's tone. Finally, he let out a long, tired sigh. "I...I decided to fly out there, with you, I...know that it's the best choice for me right now."

Neither of them said anything for a while. Itachi sat on the other end, wide eyed and shocked, while Sasuke waited patiently. Itachi never expected it to be this easy; he knew Sasuke was a strong willed, stubborn person, and once he set his mind on something, that was that. And just the other day, it seemed like he had his mind set on being with that Naruto boy. So did that mean something happened between them? It wasn't like Sasuke to give up so easily.

Itachi finally broke the heavy silence. "Why are you deciding to come now? Don't get me wrong, I'm happy you decided to come out here, but this makes no sense to me, you've never been such an easy person to convince, even as a little kid, it was hard to get you to do anything."

"That's exactly the point, Itachi. I'm not a kid anymore, I'm not quite so childish as to be stubborn about a situation such as this. I know that going away would be best for me. I know that I've been wanting to go to SCA since I've been able to walk, and I know that now, I'm being handed this opportunity, and I'd be an absolute moron to just let it pass me by. And no, I'm not flying out there because of you said so, so don't even entertain yourself with that thought."

Itachi snorted."Well you're no fun. I must admit, that thought did pass through my mind. But being serious, Sasuke...did something happen between you and Naruto? You seemed so set on being with him just the othe-"

"No, nothing happened between us," Sasuke interrupted, curtly,"and frankly, even if it had, that's none of your business."

Itachi chuckled. "Ouch. Is this some attempt to preserve your pride?" Sasuke could hear the smirk in his tone. He rolled his eyes.

"Not at all. I just want it to be clear that I'm coming out there to get better for him. Not because you're forcing me."

"On a more serious note, I must say that I'm rather impressed. You've definitely matured more than I imagined. I gave you a choice and you actually thought it through, I'm proud."

Sasuke scowled, irritated with the sarcasm of Itachi's last words."Don't insult my intelligence Itachi, like you said, I matured enough, enough to kick your ass." Itachi scoffed but didn't comment."And you hardly left me with much of a choice. Especially with Shisui co-signing for you. I just, I know how you are and I know when I tell you _everything_, you're going to try to keep me from making any contact with this side of the world _whatsoever_. But I don't care what you say, even if I am relenting to your wishes and flying all the way out there, you can't stop me from contacting this side. As much as I fucking hate this country, it still has _some _pleasant things about it. Things that I'm not willing to give up so easily. I may have fucked up things with...him...but, I can't just let him go. Not forever, at least."

For a moment, Itachi said nothing, shocked by Sasuke's defensive tone. It was quite a surprise to see Sasuke so passionate about a _person_. Yes, he could read between the lines and see that by 'pleasant things', he meant Naruto. Sasuke was always a passionate person when it came to _things_; art, music, photography-anything thing that he liked, he held onto _hard_. In his own Sasuke way, of course. Deciding to push that aside for the time being, he focused more on something else Sasuke had said.

"...is everything really that bad?" he asked quietly."If you assume that I'm gonna take such drastic measures, then is it really-"

"Yes, it is," Sasuke cut him off, the guilt and sorrow in Itachi's tone too much to take."I won't lie and say that it isn't. I'm done denying my problems."

Itachi laughed softly."I'm happy that you're coming out here. It feels as if everything will be resolved between us. It seemed that no matter how close we were, there was still _something _between us. I kept thinking it was the distance, but now I know it was more than that; my problems, your problems, our idiotic father...honestly, I'm just relieved that all this shit is finally over."

"Yea..." Sasuke smiled sadly. He had to admit that knowing that soon he would be with his brother and that there would be no secrets between them felt extremely _liberating_. But the fact that he would be leaving was still hard to grasp.

"_So_...you're coming to Sydney. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy."

Sasuke smiled. "You know, I'm starting to think you have a bit of a brother complex," he teased. Itachi rolled his eyes.

"Maybe just a bit," he laughed."I'm gonna go now, I have a lot of paperwork to finish in preparation for a major surgery, so I'm a bit busy, but I'll call you back when I get a bit of free time. I love you and stay safe. Oh, and Sasuke?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you. I'm really glad that you decided to come down here, It's like a major weight off my shoulders, knowing you'll be close."

Sasuke sighed."Whatever, I love you too." He brought his phone down and clicked end, letting out a breath he didn't even know he was holding. Smiling to himself, he closed his eyes.

_'That went a lot better than I thought it would'_ he mused to himself.

The sound of a loud thud caught his attention, his eyes opening wide. He stood up off the bed and rushed quickly out of his room. He was met with the sight of Naruto outside of his room, one hand over his face and the other in a fist against the wall. There was a huge dent from where he had obviously punched the wall. Sasuke's eyes slowly went back to normal size as he walked further into the hallway.

"Naruto, what the hell..." he trailed off. When Naruto didn't answer, he watched silently for a bit. Then his face lit up with realization.

_Had Naruto heard the whole conversation?_

"Dammit Sasuke!" Naruto cried out, burying his face in his hands. Sasuke looked over at him, wide eyed and confused. He slid his phone in his pocket and walked over to Naruto's disheveled form. He stopped, looking up at him tentatively. After standing silently for a bit, he slowly brought his hands to Naruto's face, moving them. Naruto made no move to stop him, instead closing his eyes to hide the tears. His tear streaked cheeks gave him away. He kept his eyes closed, afraid to let the traitorous tears he felt welling up fall. He couldn't take this; this was too much for him. Honestly, he knew that this was what was best for Sasuke. He'd known all along that at some point, in order for Sasuke to heal, he'd have to leave. But now, it all felt to real. Everything was happening too fast. He felt like holding Sasuke and never letting him go, so he could stay with him forever. But deep inside he knew that he couldn't do that. Thinking that way was terribly selfish, and it made him feel awful. It hurt, so damn much.

Suddenly, his eyes shot open and his train of thought crashed at the feeling of soft lips brushing his cheek. He looked down at Sasuke who stared at him with soft grey eyes. His hands rested on Naruto's chest, clenching his shirt.

"Don't cry for me. I'm not worth you tears," he muttered softly. Naruto frowned and brought a hand to his head, running a frustrated hand through his tangled hair. He let out a shaky sigh and brought his hand back down. One arm snaked around Sasuke's waist while the other grasped Sasuke's hand in his. He brought Sasuke's hand to his lips and kissed it lightly, the gesture resurfacing memories of their first kiss back in Naruto's dorm. A tear fell onto Sasuke's hand and rolled lazily down his arm. Naruto intertwined their fingers and brought it to his cheek, neither of them breaking eye contact.

"Please, Sasuke. Talk to me."

Sasuke let out a sigh, and spoke, his voice a soft whisper."What is there to say?

"I want you to get better. So much that it hurts. And I support your decision. It's just hard to accept that you're really leaving. It hurts. And dammit, you're being so fucking...difficult about all this!" he growled out, frustrated."Do you even care about me, about us? Have I wasted my time even trying to get close to you if you're just gonna throw it away like this? I mean, I'm not trying to convince you to stay, but fuck, say something, _feel_ something! Anything! So I don't feel like I'm the only one who gave a damn all this time!"

Sasuke hummed softly in acknowledgement."Knowing that me leaving affects you this much...it makes my heart swell. It feels good to know someone cares so much about me," he finished in a hushed tone. Naruto let out another frustrated growl.

"How can you sit here and talk like this is nothing?" he stopped for a moment, taking a shuddering breath. "Sasuke, tell me something. What am I to you? What are _we_ to you? Was all this really just nothing?" he asked pleadingly, his voice cracking. Sasuke felt his fist clench at that, his sorrow slowly shifting to annoyance..

"Why do you continue to insist that all this meant nothing to me? I'm here, right now, in a goddamn lake house with you, I've fuckin' told you my life story, told you _everything _and yet you assume that I've just been killing time with you for the hell of it?"

"It sure seems that way," Naruto scoffed bitterly. Sasuke sneered and pulled harshly out of Naruto's grip.

"Fucking idiot, do you know how _hard_ this is for me? You think that I want to just up and leave you? You were right there when I was talking to Itachi, you heard what I said. I'm doing this _for_ you, for_ us_!"

Naruto shook his was running on sheer emotion, all sense of logic gone."Why are you sitting here lying to me? You don't know how hard it was for me to open up and tell you half the shit I did! It's not enough that you fucking played with my head, now you're gonna sit here and play me like a goddamn idiot!"

"NARUTO, LISTEN TO ME!" Sasuke seethed,"Stop being such a fucking idiot and listen! Fuck what you think you know, I'm _telling_ you right now that I wasn't just messing around with you, how could I ever do that to you? I care about you too much for that!"

"That's bullshit if I ever heard it! You're telling me to listen?_ Listen to yourself right now_! Your actions contradict you're words! So you really _do_ care about me, huh? Well my fucking mistake if I got the wrong goddamn idea from you earlier today when you told me! I could tell how motherfucking _torn_ you were!" he spat, his voice dripping sarcasm. Sasuke felt himself shaking like he'd explode any second. He couldn't do this right now."How do you expect me to believe anything you're saying right now anyw-" Naruto was off by Sasuke yanking him down by his hair and smashing their lips together painfully. The kiss was rough, open-mouthed, sloppy, and fueled by anger, yet neither of them seemed to care. It only made it all the more passionate. Sasuke was the first to pull away, their lips still brushing as he panted roughly.

"_Fuck_. _You_."

Naruto narrowed his eyes, taking shallow breaths. "You are driving me_ crazy_."

"This is hard for me, too. Do you realize what you are to me, how much you mean to me? I know it's no excuse for me being such a dick about everything earlier, but it's hard for me to handle situations like this. I'm not good with showing my emotions, so I just...close myself up. I know that with you, it should be different, that after all we've been through together, it should be easier for me, but it's not. I'm so sorry, really I am,"

Naruto watched him silently, waiting. Sasuke waited. Finally, Naruto let out a long frustrated breath.

"You just, you piss me off _so fucking much_, Sasuke, like you don't understand," he muttered.

Sasuke laughed humorlessly."Trust me, I'm aware of all my bullshit. I know how infuriating I can be."

"Yet you continue to pull it," Naruto retorted, his voice cracking.

"You're the one who's willingly dealing with it," Sasuke countered.

"Whatever," Naruto murmured. Grabbing Sasuke by the wrist, he pulled his body, just a few inches of space between them. He let an arm snake around Sasuke waist and rested his head on Sasuke's shoulder. Sasuke ran a hand through Naruto's hair, trying to console him as he felt Naruto's body shake lightly. Tears soaked through the fabric off his shirt, put he paid it no mind. After a few minutes of them standing there, in a comforting embrace, Naruto lifted his head to look at Sasuke, his face tear-stained.

"On the phone," He started,"you said you're doing this for me. I...I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing." He pulled Sasuke closer, connecting their lips. It was a quick, chaste kiss, and once Naruto pulled away, Sasuke smiled sadly.

"It's a good thing. You should be flattered, Uzumaki," he teased lightly." I want to get better, to be stronger. For you, _like_ you. You're such a strong person Naruto, sometimes it's almost hard to believe all the crap you've went through," he finished softly. Naruto shook his head.

"I'm not as strong as most people think. Most days I really just want to give up and just go away. To disappear. It feels like I'm always the happy friend that everyone expects to be happy and have a perfect life and sometimes it's just so _hard _to be strong for everyone. I just can't anymore, you know? Sometimes I need someone to be strong for me." Sasuke nodded, his hand running through Naruto's hair reassuringly.

"Well you shouldn't have to be strong for everyone. And as much as I want to be strong for you, that's like asking for support from a bridge made of feathers. I'm virtually useless, but I can still try. You don't understand just how helpful you've been to me, I'd do anything for you at this point." He felt tears coming down his cheeks, but ignored them. "I don't believe in miracles or blessings-hell, I don't even believe in God-but after meeting you, after seeing what it's like to be with someone like you...I can't help but feel that there's _someone_ up there that finally decided that I've had enough m-misery and suffering to last a thousand lifetimes. T-that it's my turn to feel h-happy," he stuttered out. Naruto shook his head, his vision blurry from the tears. He could feel Sasuke's body pressed against his, wracking from the sobs that poured out of him. He buried his face in Sasuke's hair.

When he felt himself able to speak, he began, his voice muffled by Sasuke's hair,"You've been strong enough for you being here is enough. It's all I really need."

"Naruto," he reprimanded through the tears,"please don't make this decision any harder than it already is. _Please._"

Naruto smiled sadly."You're going whether you like it or not, you need to. But I refuse to make this any easier, especially since you were such a fucking bastard about everything earlier. You deserve a little punishment."

Sasuke laughed hoarsely

"I just...I wish there was some way I could go with you," Naruto murmured

"Naruto. As much as I would love for you to come with me, that's not your plan for your life. You're such a selfless person, but please,don't throw everything away just for me..." Naruto was unsure of what to say, because he knew that Sasuke was right. Not about him throwing everything away, but about his life plan. Sydney was definitely not apart of it, but he knew that he didn't care; he'd go anywhere for Sasuke.

"_God_," Naruto breathed out, the only thing he could muster, bringing their lips together once more. He deepened the kiss, pushing past Sasuke's lips and tangling their tongues. His hands wrapped around Sasuke's waist, as Sasuke's snaked around his neck, pulling roughly.

As their tongues fought passionately, they made their way to Sasuke's bed, paying no mind to the beads in the doorway. Clumsily, they fell onto the bed, Naruto flat on his back and Sasuke straddling him. He tangled his hands into Naruto's hair and pulled himself closer. Naruto grabbed on to his thin hips, groaning into their kiss. Breathing heavily, Sasuke pulled away, sitting up on Naruto's lap. Naruto sat up on his elbows, watching him. Sasuke had a contemplative expression on his face, until he sighed shakily. Slowly, he brought his hands to his shirt.

"This is fucking _crazy_," he whispered. Hesitantly, he grabbed at his shirt. He took a deep breath and began to lift it. His hands clenched tightly around the fabric, almost fighting against himself. Naruto watched through half-lidded eyes, waiting patiently. As the fabric lifted more and more, he could feel his eyes widening. Bruises of different shapes and sizes littered Sasuke's pale torso. The one that caught his attention the most was a long gash that went across the expanse of his torso. Pulling the shirt completely off, Sasuke threw it to the side. He placed his arms out in front of him, presenting the cuts that covered them to Naruto. He averted his eyes, not wanting to see Naruto's reaction. His breathing hitched as he felt the beginnings of an anxiety attack coming on. The feeling of falling made him flinch, causing him to look up just as his back hit the bed. Naruto hovered over him, the emotion in his eyes unreadable. He brought his lips down to Sasuke's stomach, kissing the largest gash gently. He continued this, kissing each one of Sasuke's scars until he got to his arms. Sasuke looked down at him, watching as he grabbed both his arms and pinned them above his head. He hovered over him and kissed each cut softly. Once he was eye level to Sasuke again, he leaned down and bit his bottom lip, causing Sasuke to gasp and open his mouth. Naruto plunged his tongue in roughly, conveying everything he felt through the kiss. Sasuke moaned, feeling lightheaded. The powerful crescendo of emotions he felt flowing through him was too much. A dizzy feeling settled in and his stomach tied into impossibly tight knots. They broke away, the need for air becoming urgent. Soft pants filled the quiet room as they tried to catch their breath. Sasuke's eyes opened at the feeling of tears hitting his cheeks. Naruto's dazzling blue eyes stared back at him, the message in them clear.

_You're so beautiful._

Looking into those deep blue eyes, Sasuke couldn't help but think that there was nowhere else he'd rather be than right here, in this moment, with Naruto. Here, in this beach house, where it felt like they were the only two people in the world. And he yearned to be close to Naruto; to be with him on a deeper level, to throw out all his insecurities. All for _this_.

"Breathe..." Naruto murmured against Sasuke's neck, feeling his pulse quicken and breathing speed up. Sasuke obeyed, trying to get his breathing under control again. Naruto sucked lightly on his neck, and he felt himself slowly but surely getting his breathing somewhat stable again. A tear splattered on his cheek as Naruto hovered over him, watching intently.

Sasuke reached up and tenderly wiped a tear from Naruto's cheek. Wrapping a hand around Naruto's neck, he pulled him closer, whispering into his ear,

"I trust you. I _want_ you..."

Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine at the husky voice. Pulling back, he looked into Sasuke's eyes, searching for any signs of doubt. His heart stopped at the look of pure _affection_ he could read in those beautiful, dark eyes. With a soft groan, he brought his lips to Sasuke's neck, marking him once more.

"Naruto..." Sasuke breathed as Naruto's lips ghosted across his collarbone. He kissed along his neck and his jawline, wrapping his arms tightly around Sasuke's thin frame. He continued kissing him until he reached his lips. He let their lips barely touch and let out a sigh, pulling away. He clenched his fist tightly, straining at the sheer amount of will power it took not to throw Sasuke down and _ravish _him.

"Sasuke...I...I don't wanna do this right now. I mean, _I do_ but I feel like I'm taking advantage of you while you're all...emotional. I just, don't want you to wake up and regret this in the morning " He finished quietly. He looked up and stared into Sasuke's dark eyes. He saw Sasuke's eyes narrow. Slowly, Sasuke leaned over and pulled Naruto closer, into a heated kiss. Tangling his hands in Naruto's hair, he pulled him forward until they were both laying on the bed, Naruto's body on top of his. He let out a soft moan and parted his lips slightly. Naruto slid his tongue in, a feeling of electricity running through him as their tongues touched. Sasuke was _i__ntoxicating_. Every part of him Naruto got only made him want _so much more_. He felt Sasuke's hands running through his hair and let out a groan. Sasuke pulled back, looking into Naruto's eyes. Their usual bright sky blue color had darkened with lust. Sasuke bit his lip.

"Don't think. _Please_, for once, just feel."

He smashed their lips together harshly, biting Naruto's bottom lip. He pushed their chests together roughly, desperate to feel something, _anything_. Naruto parted his lips with a needy moan as Sasuke slipped his tongue in. He pressed his hands against Sasuke's chest, running his hands over any part of his pale body that he could. He broke the kiss, sliding his mouth down Sasuke's chest. He licked a hardened nipple, making Sasuke gasp. He began to suck it as Sasuke arched up off the bed.

"Nnngh.." He moaned, as Naruto's skilled tongue played with his sensitive nipple. Naruto slid his tongue down Sasuke's stomach, kissing his bruises continued down his stomach, stopping at the front of his pants. He looked up, locking eyes with Sasuke, and kissed the front. Sasuke felt himself harden under his clothes. Naruto's eyes looked so _arousing_ in the low light of the room. He moaned softly and nodded, giving Naruto permission to go further. Naruto slid his hands down Sasuke's sides. He stopped at Sasuke's hips, grabbing them and lifting them off the bed. Slowly, he worked his pants off his hips and finally off. Lowering his head, he pressed another kiss to the front of Sasuke's briefs, causing him to moan out his name again. Naruto felt a shiver run down his spine. It was like a shock of electricity, every time Sasuke said his name in that sensuous, breathy voice of his. He brought his lips to the tattoo on Sasuke's hip bone and kissed it. He felt Sasuke jerk under him. Naruto gave it a teasing suck, watching Sasuke's reaction. Sasuke jerked again, moaning wantonly. Naruto groaned softly, noticing that Sasuke was extremely sensitive there. With one last suck, Naruto went back to Sasuke's briefs, curling his fingers around the hem and pulling them down slowly. He locked eyes with Sasuke as he grabbed the front with his teeth and pulled them down.

Sasuke could feel his lower area twitch in excitement. Pink dusted his cheeks in with the embarrassment at being so exposed. However, that thought was pushed far from his mind at the sight in front if him. Seeing Naruto staring up at him as he grabbed his half-hard member, giving it a teasing lick,made him_ burn_ with arousal. He jerked impatiently as Naruto gave it another slow lick along the shaft. Sasuke fisted the sheets as Naruto took him fully in his mouth. _God_. His mouth was so _hot_ and so _wet_, it was _too much_. He screwed his eyes shut, his breath coming out in heavy pants. Naruto continued to suck him, his eyes locked on Sasuke's face. He brought his other hand around to massage Sasuke's balls.

"Mmmm..." Sasuke panted out. It felt like his body was on fire. He tangled a hand in Naruto's blonde locks, pushing him down further onto him. The excited, low moan Naruto released made Sasuke feel dizzy. He opened his eyes and watched as Naruto's head bobbed up and down on him, his blue eyes never looking away from Sasuke's."N-Naruto...I-Imm...mmmm..."

Naruto released him with and audible pop. He began to pump him. Sasuke felt himself tigthen as his release came closer. His toes curled and he arched off the bed. Naruto pushed him back down and replaced his hand with his mouth, sucking quickly and deep throating him. His nose brushed the soft black curls. Sasuke could feel his stomach tightening, almost to the point of pain. He gripped tightly on the sheets, his knuckles going white. The sheer amount of pleasure and sensation made his head spin. With a loud moan, Sasuke came heavily in Naruto's mouth. He laid back, trying to catch his breath. Naruto licked him clean, nipping at the insides of his thighs. He pulled himself up, connecting their lips. Sasuke moaned lowly as their tongues tangled, tasting himself on Naruto. Grabbing at the edges, Sasuke began to pull Naruto's shirt up over his head. They broke apart to remove the shirt and crashed there lips together once more. Naruto straddled Sasuke and ground his hips slowly and deeply. The friction of Naruto's pants on Sasuke's bare skin was making him dizzy with pleasure. Naruto released his lips, sliding down and biting on his neck. Sasuke let out a sharp cry and felt himself began to harden as Naruto sucked harshly. He felt Naruto's erection pressed against his through his pants. Sasuke lowered his hands to Naruto's hips, stopping his movements.

"Ahhh..._Naruto_..." He groaned out, lustfully. Naruto lifted his hips, placing both knees on either side of Sasuke as he unbuttoned his pants. Quickly, he pulled them down along with his boxers. Sasuke let out another moan as Naruto straddled him again, their unclothed erections grinding together. Naruto brought his head down, their lips centimeters apart.

"Touch me, Sasuke." He whispered, his breath ghosting over Sasuke's lips. Sasuke's pale face flushed red, his eyes half lidded and his lips parted as he took shallow breaths. Naruto had never seen anything more arousing in his life. Moaning in response, Sasuke reached down and grabbed Naruto's erection, pumping him slowly. Naruto groaned, closing his eyes and biting his lips. He brought his hand to Sasuke's mouth, slipping in three fingers. Sasuke sucked them lewdly, moaning as Naruto pumped them back and forth in his mouth. His tongue twirled around them as he looked into Naruto's eyes. nearly sending him over the edge. Naruto pulled them out, a string of saliva trailing from Sasuke's mouth. He moved Sasuke's hand from around him, sliding down between Sasuke's thighs. His finger probed at Sasuke's entrance, making Sasuke flinch. Slowly, he slipped it in, feeling Sasuke stiffen underneath him.

"Relax." He said softly, moving it around. Sasuke screwed his eyes shut at the uncomfortable feeling of Naruto's finger. He felt pain with every movement, but bit his lip and waited it out. Naruto kissed his thigh softly, as Sasuke adjusted."You okay?" Sasuke nodded. "I'm gonna put another one in." He added a second finger, slowly scissoring them apart. Sasuke groaned as he felt himself being stretched. Naruto began to pump his fingers inside of him, looking for that special spot that would make Sasuke see stars.

"_Fuck-ahhh!_" Sasuke moaned out, and octave higher than normal. Naruto smirked softly,pressing down on it harder."Naru-mmmmm!" He moaned louder, rocking back on Naruto's fingers. Naruto felt himself getting painfully hard. Watching Sasuke riding his fingers was so insanely _erotic_, he didn't think he would last much longer. He removed his fingers, Sasuke groaning impatiently. He reached down to the side of the bed and grabbed the lube. Squirting a nice amount in his hands, he rubbed it over himself. He spread Sasuke's legs and positioned himself in between them. He locked eyes with Sasuke.

"Are you sure?" He asked softly. Sasuke nodded, reaching a hand around Naruto's neck and running his hands through his hair.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," he whispered, bringing his lips to Naruto's, kissing them lightly."_Naruto_," he breathed kissed him again, this time deeper. Pulling away, he laid back."I love you..." Naruto's eyes widened. Sasuke smiled softly, trailing his hands down Naruto's back. Naruto smiled back at him, feeling tears coming to his eyes. Leaning forward, he caught Sasuke's pale lips in a passionate, deep kiss. It was slow, sensual, and all too consuming. Sasuke could feel Naruto's fervent arousal and desire through the heated kiss and he couldn't stop the violent shiver that wracked his body as he lost himself in the sensation_; it was overwhelming_. He groaned softly, breathing Naruto's name against his lips. Pulling back, Naruto stared into his eyes, those impossibly blue eyes boring into his soul,once again sending a shiver through his body. Soft tan hands pushed gently on his shoulder, causing him to fall lightly onto the bed.

"I love you too, Sasuke. I love you so much." He began to push himself inside, inch by inch. Sasuke gripped his back tightly from pain, his mouth forming into a silent scream."Relax..." He breathed. Sasuke closed his eyes, groaning as he felt Naruto fully inside of scrunched his eyes tighter; it hurt like _hell_. They sat still for a few long minutes, waiting for Sasuke to adjust to Naruto inside of him, _stretching _him. He breathed slowly, moving his hands to tangle them in Naruto's hair. He could feel himself slowly getting used to the feeling.

"Y-you can move..." Naruto nodded and began to thrust slowly inside of Sasuke. Sasuke moaned softly at the feeling of Naruto, moving inside him. The pain was slowly fading as pleasure began to take its place. His began to morph into pleasure as he began to get more into it, soft mewls and whimpers escaping out of his bent Sasuke's leg back, trying to get a better angle. He moaned loudly. Sasuke was just _so fucking tight_. He didn't think he could last much longer. He felt Sasuke jolt under him, bringing his hands to his back and clawing it relentlessly.

The pleasure began to consume him, and Sasuke felt as if he was floating. As his moaned grew louder and the pleasure increased, he found himself getting lost in the moment. Almost desperately, he clawed at Naruto's back, looking for anything to anchor him before he floated away.

"Naru-t-t-ahh!" he moaned out as Naruto thrust into his prostate. He panted, feeling his breath catch in his throat. Naruto's thrusts began to quicken at the sound of Sasuke's pleasure. Sasuke let out a sharp groan. He felt his head spinning and his back arching up off the bed."_Mmmmm_,h-hard..er!" He threw his head back, giving Naruto full access to his neck. Naruto began to suck it, leaving more dark bruises. He wrapped his hand around Sasuke's length, pumping him in rhythm with his thrusts. Through half-lidded eyes, he watched as Sasuke writhed underneath him, his breathy moans pouring out of his mouth. Their bodies moved in time together, almost naturally

"_Fuck Sasuke_..." He breathed into Sasuke's neck. His movements began to slow as he stopped and pulled out completely, wanting to get Sasuke into a different position. He looked down as he began to add more lube on himself. He was still painfully hard. When he finished, he turned Sasuke into a better position, one that would give him a better angle. Sasuke was flipped over onto his knees, his face down on the bed and his ass in the air. Naruto moaned wantonly at the sight; Sasuke spread out for him, his face red and his eyes glazed over in lust. He couldn't believe that this was happening.

"Naruto...hurry up..." Sasuke moaned, looking back at him. Rolling off the bed, Naruto came up behind him, spanking him lightly. Sasuke moaned, sticking his ass out more as Naruto grabbed his hips and positioned himself at his entrance. He was presented with the view of tattoos that Sasuke had mentioned vaguely when they first met. He never told Naruto exactly what they were, but seeing them now, Naruto couldn't help the long moan that escaped his lips. Black angel wings spread wildly across his back, and a trail of kanji that started at the top of his next and trailed down his spine. It was so exotic and so arousing and just so.._.perfect_.

"_God Sasuke_..." Naruto purred,squeezing his hips,"you're so fucking_ beautiful_" He thrusted into Sasuke, making his body rock forward and the head board slam against the wall. His grip tightened on his hips, enough to leave bruises. Naruto slammed into his prostate mercilessly, causing Sasuke to scream out in pleasure. He reached around and began to pump Sasuke quickly.

"Naruto.._ahh_," he moaned out as Naruto breathed his name out over and over, like a mantra."Ahh...Mmmm...unnnn I-Im g-gonna...I-Im..." Sasuke panted out. He felt himself tighten and his toes curl as his back arched deeply."_Naruto_!" He cried out, as he came _hard_. He felt his body shaking and his vision going white. Naruto moaned loudly, feeling Sasuke tightening around him, pushing him over the edge. He came inside of him, screaming out his name. His thrusts began to slow down as he rode out his orgasm, Sasuke still moaning and mewling under him.

They collapsed on the bed, breathing. Naruto pulled out of him slowly, Sasuke groaning at how _empty_ he felt. They laid there, catching their breath. Naruto turned to the side and looked at Sasuke. His eyes were closed and his face was still flushed red. One arm was thrown over his eyes and the other rested on his torso. He could see the hickies he left along Sasuke's neck and collarbone. Other cuts and bruises littered Sasuke's pale skin. Naruto smiled softly. Sasuke was finally_ his_, and now all he wanted to do was love him and tell him how perfect and amazing and fucking _beautiful _he was every single day. He rolled over and pulled Sasuke to his chest, kissing the top of his hair. Grabbing the arm on Sasuke's torso, he pulled it to him and opened his hand, kissing his palm gently. He move down his arm, his lips ghosting over the cuts that marred the flesh.

"I love you._ God_, Sasuke." He groaned, contently, a hint of something else rising in his voice.

"...I love you too." Sasuke murmured back, tiredly. They laid silently for a while, reveling in the after effects. Naruto let a soft sigh, is eyes fluttering shut. As the after effects of his orgasm washed over him, he could feel his feelings rising to the surface, as he let out a choked breath.

"...I just wish you didn't have to leave me..." he whispered softly, almost to himself, so quiet that Sasuke could barely make out what he said. Finally becoming overwhelmed by all the emotion, Naruto broke down and began to cry, the sound muffled by Sasuke's hair. Sasuke made no comment however, pretending to not have heard the soft words or the sorrow in his tone, ignoring the wetness of tears he felt soaking his hair, He closed his eyes and drifted off, lulled slowly to sleep by his exhaustion and the peaceful, yet melancholy atmosphere.

* * *

**A/N:Yea...you wouldn't believe how _h__ard_ that was for me to write. T'was my first lemon scene ever. Please tell me I didn't do a terrible job. I tried, really. I even had two friends review it back in like, August? (I wrote out the lemon a bit ago) and they still won't let me live it down. Now I know it may seem kind of...weird...and that this lemon may of seemed quick and almost sudden...and some may feel they moved a bit too fast...but fear not! All shall be answered in chapter 20! trust me, it was important to the plot!And, hopefully, it's gonna be a good chp 20. Because with Sasuke, things are never easy ;p. That is, in part, because of my effort of making Pulse as realistic as possible, because like Sasuke, life is never easy. So yea, get ready for a morning-after chapter. Heheee :3**

**P.s. The tattoos will be explained in the next chapter as well...because yes, they have some significance**

**Please review and tell me what you think.**

**Random Sidenote: I wonder if anyone noticed the random American Dad, Family Guy, and SOAD references last chapter? I happened to use those three to get me in a good mood to write that chapter :3**

**Funny side fact: As I wrote this chapter, I couldn't help but think "Damn, I wish I had a boyfriend like Naruto." Haha.**

**Please review, they keep me motivated, and I love feedback. :3**


	20. Reprisal

**A/N: Well hello there. So, I finally finished this one, and I gotta say, I'm pretty proud of the speed I got this one out, factors and other things considered****.**** (it would've been out faster if I'd had internet at home...this update is brought to you by your local library/McDonald's-_-) I finally have crawled out from my slight bout of writers block after a non-too-pretty breakdown about God knows what. Probably stress finally getting to me. Anywho, after that, I just sat and typed for like ten hours and voila, I finally finished this chapter! Thanks so much for everyone who has been patient with my inconsistent update times and all, and thanks so much for all the feedback, I truly appreciate it all. So, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, please leave me criticism and tell me how you feel! :3**

**Ps. No promises on the next update, with there currently being no internet at **_**mi casa**_**, so all I can say is, I'll do my best. .-.**

**I don't own Naruto.**

_**Reprisal: Retaliation for an injury with the intent of inflicting at least as much injury in return**_

* * *

"_Come on, skinny love, just last the year,"_

Light filtered into the room through the window, illuminating the pale, naked body that rested in the bed. Sasuke's face scrunched softly before his eyes fluttered open. He sat up; wincing at the pain he felt in his backside. He looked over, noticing that the bed was empty. The slide door was open, blowing in fresh, cool air.

_"Pour a little salt, we were never here__...__"_

The light shone in brighter, lighting up the room. He saw scattered clothes across the room and a bottle of lube lying on the floor. Face heating up in embarrassment, Sasuke turned away sharply. He pulled his knees to his chest and laid his head in his arms with a long sigh.

_"My my my, my my my, my my. Staring at this sink of blood and crushed veneer."_

He sighed softly, listening to the soft singing coming from the other room. The voice soothed him. It was so soft and soulful and beautiful. He would've never guessed that Naruto was such a good singer. He turned his head slightly, peeking out from his arms. Light footsteps padded through the hall and into the room, stopping at the door.

_"I tell my love to wreck it all, cut out all the ropes and let me fall,_"

Naruto walked over to the bed and sat down, looking at Sasuke."Morning."

"What song was that?" Sasuke murmured from his arms. Naruto ran a hand through his hair.

"Skinny Love." He answered quietly. Sasuke lifted his head, giving him a look."What?" Sasuke looked at him for a while longer and turned his head.

"...Nothing." He felt Naruto's hand grab his chin, lifting his head up. Naruto gave him a soft kiss and pulled back, smiling lightly.

"Well wake up sleepy head, I'm sure you're starving. I could eat a freakin' horse right now." Sasuke laughed softly, looking at Naruto. With a small smile and a chaste kiss to Sasuke's lips, Naruto stood and left as quickly as he came. Sasuke watched after him blankly, letting his still sleep dazed mind drift. Thoughts of how nice it looked outside or how he actually had a slight appetite passed through his mind. More and more trivial thoughts flowed through as the daze caused by sleep slowly began to lift. And with it, thoughts of the night before came rushing back. Sounds of desire began to ring in his ears, and even worse was the memory of his own voice, breathless as he moaned wantonly and commanded for Naruto to go faster or harder. A lump formed in his throat as he clenched his eyes shut and slapped his hands over his ears in hopes of blocking out the sounds.

"_Ahhh...Naruto..." He groaned out lustfully. Naruto lifted his hips, placing both knees on either side of Sasuke as he unbuttoned his—_

He shook his head quickly, trying his best to push the memories out of his mind. His throat with the feeling of distress as sick realization began to flood his system. Bile slowly rose in his throat and he tried his best to subdue it. With deep breaths, he willed himself to calm down, trying to keep himself from hyperventilating as his breathing became erratic.

_Tanned hands caressed his body, a hot tongue trailed down his chest. Shocking blue eyes, darkened with lust, looked into his eyes, asking for affirmation as he placed a chaste kiss on the front of Sasuke's pants. The tender gesture made him almost let out a desperate moan as his eyes gleamed with a silent 'yes'._

Sasuke felt tears coming to his eyes. His stomach began to turn and his head was starting to hurt. He was going to be sick. Jumping out the bed, he ran to the nearest door, hoping it was the bathroom. He was relieved as he crouched down in front of the toilet, vomiting out all the contents of his stomach. He heard footsteps coming his way and stopping. Naruto stood in the doorway for a moment, confused. He went over to Sasuke, crouching down next to him. Sasuke gagged and began to throw up more. Naruto reached over, pulling Sasuke's long bangs out of his face. Sasuke felt the tears coming harder, starting to shake his body.

"_Holy shit_." He breathed, in shock. "Holy shit, holy fucking shit..." he repeated. It all crashed down He couldn't believed that he actually slept with Naruto!

"Feels like you're my pregnant wife with morning sickness," Naruto commented, lightly teasing to break the tension in the air. Sasuke groaned at the hurt laced in that raspy voice. He stopped, dry heaving for a bit until the vomiting came to a standstill. Leaning back, he rested his head on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto wrapped his arm around him, cradling him to his chest. He kissed the top of his head softly. They sat cuddled on the floor, Naruto humming softly. Sasuke closed his eyes, listening to Naruto's soft voice. He could feel it vibrating through him. He could feel Naruto's fingers tracing the kanji along his back. He'd completely forgotten about the tattoos, and he really didn't want Naruto to see them. Too late now.

"I'm sorry." He murmured in the crook of Naruto's neck.

"Don't be. Do you wanna talk about it?" Sasuke shook his head, not really in favor of explaining his random vomiting session."You don't have to then." Naruto kissed him softly on the head."I love you..." He murmured, muffled by Sasuke's hair. Sasuke felt himself tense up. Slowly, he pushed himself up, looking at Naruto.

"How is this so easy for you?" Naruto blinked, the question catching him off guard.

"What do you me-"

"How is it so easy for you to just...open up like this? You wake up today all smiles like everything is perfect with the world while I'm sitting here having a panic attack." Naruto smiled, grabbing Sasuke's wrist. He pulled his hand to his lips, kissing it lovingly.

"So that's what this is all about?" Naruto asked curiously, his voice heavy with another hidden emotion. "I know how hard it is for you to open yourself up to anyone, so I wanna make it easy by opening up to you. I don't expect that after last night, everything would be perfect between us, but that's why I wanna try. It's okay if you feel uneasy or embarrassed." Sasuke turned away, looking at the wall. He couldn't believe half the stuff he said last night. All that screaming and moaning, he wanted to die from embarrassment. Knowing that someone had witnessed his damaged body littered in bruises and scars...signs of all his problems...he didn't know what to say. Naruto had been aware of him self-harming, but seeing it only made the problem that much more real. Right now, he just wanted to hide in a dark corner of his mind and just not think. He couldn't believe he'd made himself so...vulnerable He'd practically given himself to Naruto, along with all his damage and baggage and craziness. The thought itself made him sick.

Without warning, Sasuke broke down, tears rushing out like waterfalls. Naruto flinched, his eyes widening in surprise, but he quickly recovered and pulled Sasuke's naked frame to his chest. Sasuke brought his hands to his face, wiping away the tears. Naruto smiled and stood up. He wrapped his arms around Sasuke, pulling him into his chest. Sasuke's body began to shake with his sobs. Naruto rubbed his hair, cooing and telling him that everything would be alright.

"Do you regret it?" Naruto asked softly, a hint of nervousness in his tone. Sasuke took a few shuddering breaths, trying his best to speak through the tears.

"N-no...it's...no. I don't but I…I just...I'm sitting h-here. Naked. On the bathroom floor, vomiting. I f-f-feel," he stopped, annoyed by the pathetic sound of his own emotion clouded voice. Wiping his face, he continued. "I feel so many things right now, b-but regret isn't one of them. It's a lot for me to take in right now, so please..." he trailed off. Naruto nodded, understanding his unspoken words. Silently, he let go of Sasuke and stepped back. He threw one last look and a small, sad smile at Sasuke before walking out, closing the door behind him.

At the sound of the door clicking, Sasuke collapsed back to the floor, his renewed sobs shaking his body even harder. The look of hurt that laced those blue eyes made him feel terrible. He didn't want to hurt Naruto, of all people. He trusted him more than anyone, and he owed him his life, at least. The feeling of regret washed through him. Not regret for what they did, but for how he reacted. An urge to go out to Naruto and to reassure him, to take away the hurt rose in him but he couldn't bring his legs to support him. He was such and asshole. One thing he remembered more distinctly than anything from the night before was Naruto telling him that he didn't want Sasuke to regret anything, yet he agreed on his own volition. So why was he feeling like such a wreck?

"Naruto..." he called out hoarsely, in vain. He let his head fall back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling blankly. "I'm crying like a bitch," he murmured sourly. Tears poured down at a steady pace as he tried his best stop them.

The sounds of music flowed into the room, along with the scent of bacon; Sasuke felt his stomach growl angrily as he lifted his head. With a shaky and determined sigh, he willed himself to stand up on wobbly legs and slowly made his way to the door. He opened it and continued his slow path to his room, bypassing the annoying beads that hung in the doorway. A pair of black pants lay on the floor and he grabbed them and slipped them on. Not in the mood to look for the clothes that littered the floor, he grabbed a thin jacket from a hook on the wall, slipping it on and zipping it up. He furiously wiped his face, trying to cover up the signs of crying. He knew it wouldn't work and gave up. With a sigh, he stepped out of the room, not bothering to look in the mirror.

The loud music greeted Sasuke as he stepped into the living room, noting that it was coming from Naruto's phone. He stalked over to a chair at the table and sat down, crossing his legs. Naruto continued to cook, oblivious to his presence in the room. His hips swayed lightly to the sound of the Indie music as he added another strip of bacon to the pan. From the looks of it, he had already cooked somewhere around twelve slices.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were starving, huh? Though I'm pretty sure bacon is made from pigs, not horses."

Naruto scoffed lightly in acknowledgement."Same difference." He added a fourth slice of bacon to the pan and turned toward Sasuke, his expression unreadable. He looked at the pale face that greeted him; his dark eyes were red and puffy from crying along with his nose, and tear marks stained his face. With a sigh, he walked over to Sasuke, stopping once he was a foot away. Sasuke looked up at him, expectedly. Naruto crouched down so that he was that he was eye level with Sasuke.

"What do you want from me?" Naruto asked wearily.

Sasuke pondered that for a moment. It was way too complicated to put into words what he wanted. Love, affection, a friend, someone to be there for him, to reassure him and walk with him; someone who could just love him for everything he was and everything he wasn't. And Naruto was all of that wrapped into a neat little package. With a smile Sasuke closed his eyes.

"I want you. Just you. _Only _you. I want you to kiss me..." he trailed off. After a few silent moments, he felt soft lips press against his own. His arms instinctively wrapped around Naruto's neck as he leaned in closer to him. Tan hands held onto his hips and steadied him in the chair as he teetered forward. Sasuke's hand tangled themselves in blonde locks, pushing Naruto closer to him and deepening the kiss. Naruto pulled away slowly, just as Sasuke had begun to get more into it. With a weary sigh, he closed his eyes and hung his head. Sasuke rested his forehead on Naruto's, his arms wrapped thrown lazily around Naruto's neck.

"I'm trying, Naruto. God, you just don't understand how hard I'm trying. But I regret nothing, and I wouldn't change anything that happened. It was perfect. Everything is perfect. I'm sorry for hurting you, that's all I ever seem to do."

Naruto opened his eyes, frowning slightly. "No, it's not-"

"_Don't_." Sasuke interrupted."No matter what you say, I know that I've hurt you, whether it was today or things that I've said or done in the past. I know I can be a moody bastard and an asshole, and I know I don't deserve you, but please...have a little patience with me. Please don't give up on me," he finished in an almost plea, his grip on Naruto tightening. He opened his eyes and stared deeply into Naruto's.

"Sasuke..." Naruto pulled him forward into an embrace. "I don't give up that easily," he murmured into Sasuke's hair.

"A true masochist, in every right," Sasuke commented softly. He sat and returned the smile Naruto gave him with a small one of his own.

"Some things are worth it."

That sat there, embraced tightly together, neither saying a word. Naruto could feel Sasuke's body shake from a sharp hiccup, caused by the after effects of crying. He ran a hand through the dark hair, letting it slide through his fingers. The soft music and the steady beating of Naruto's heart was all Sasuke heard as he closed his eyes and pushed all the conflicting emotions out of his mind.

"Sasuke..." Naruto started softly. Sasuke lifted his head and offered him a small smile.

"I know," he said, bringing his lips to Naruto's ear, causing him to shiver. Naruto looked at him, his eyes darkening with the beginnings of lust. He let a hand travel down to the small of Sasuke's back, pressing their chest flush against each other. With soft moan, he brought his mouth down to Sasuke's neck, his teeth grazing the smooth skin. Sasuke's head instinctively went back, giving Naruto more access. His eyes closed as he gave in to the sensations, enjoying the feeling of the talented mouth on his neck. Two hands moving lower and lower down his back, breaking him from his haze. He opened his eyes and brought his hands to Naruto's shoulders, pushing him back. Naruto looked at him in confusion, his eyes clouded with desire.

"What's wrong?" He asked softy. Sasuke shook his head.

"It's...too soon. I mean, do you seriously want to go through this morning again?" Naruto's grimace was enough of an answer."Exactly. Give me time to get used to all this. It's all new to me and just because of last night doesn't mean that we can just fuck whenever you feel the urge."

Naruto flinched at his words."Jesus, Sasuke, can you be any more blunt? But yea, no rush, Sasuke, I know it's definitely a new thing to you, so don't try to push yourself for me."

"I never planned to, and I've never been one to sugarcoat things, you know that," Sasuke replied, scoffing. Naruto leaned down and kissed a puffy red eye, smiling as Sasuke frowned.

"C'mon Sasuke, I have to go and check on the bacon. I think it's burning." Naruto pressed kisses to Sasuke's forehead, his puffy eyes, his tear stained cheeks, and finally his lips, ignoring the half-hearted '_Stop it' _he muttered. He stood up and pulled Sasuke with him, a hand on his waist to steady him.

"Ugh, that smell is giving me a headache," Sasuke complained. Naruto turned around, giving him a scandalized look.

"The smell of bacon is fucking perfection! It like God himself has come down from heaven and wafted the scent of _amazingness_ into your house to gently wake you up from sleep! It's the best smell, especially in the morning!"

Sasuke laughed softly at the childish simile. "Yea, well, it's not all that appealing to me, and besides, bacon itself isn't good at all."

Naruto shrieked "_What?_ Who doesn't like bacon?"

"Idiot, even before I got like...this, I've never been a fan. It's fattening and disgusting."

"But _Sasukeee!"_ Naruto whined, crossing his arms and pouting."Bacons like the best thing next to, fucking, everything! And besides, you need a little meat on those bones, you know? Gives me a little more grab on to." Sasuke shoved him, his cheeks turning red in embarrassment.

"Fucking idiot, go cook the bacon before you burn down this place."

Naruto sighed." Fine. I'll make you something different to eat, 'kay?"

The look in Naruto's eyes gave Sasuke no room to refuse. With a sigh, he shook his head. Besides, he felt like he could eat right about now. The way Naruto's face lit up at the confirmation made Sasuke smile. Naruto was practically glowing as he rummaged through the fridge, quickly listing off possibilities of the things he could make. At this rate, he'd cook everything in the kitchen. Letting out a soft laugh, Sasuke shuffled over to a chair and sat down, crossing his legs and resting his hands in his arms, watching Naruto fly around frantically.

* * *

Standing in the full length mirror on the bathroom door, Sasuke examined his naked form. The usual bruises covered his skin. Love bites and hickeys littered his neck, chest and collarbone, and hand shaped bruises covered his hips. Noticing the marks on his inner thighs, Sasuke declared he'd done enough examination. He turned away, his face heating up in embarrassment. It was not that he was mortified or anything; although he was a virgin, he was no prude, proof being back in his rebellious days as he experimented with many different...things. But he had no experience in sex, or more accurately, interacting the morning after. His past experiences had been nothing but rage fueled passion or him being under the influence of one thing or another, that ended with said person leaving right after whatever they did was over or Sasuke leaving out of the nearest exit. Once, he'd even jumped out of a three story window. So no, he had no experience with this. He tried his best to act normal, fighting the awkwardness of his words and his furious blushing. Naruto seemed amused by the situation, if the mirth in his eyes and soft smirk as he watched Sasuke make an awkward mess of himself was anything to go by. Deciding that he had enough of the teasing looks, he stomped off, saying he was going to take a shower. This only caused Naruto to call after him, trying but failing to hold back his laughter.

"_Baby come back__! I CAN CHANGE!"_

Rolling his eyes at the memory, Sasuke slipped on a t-shirt and some shorts before making his way back to the front room. Naruto rested on the couch, his cell phone in his hand as the soft music played through it. He looked up from it and smiled playfully at Sasuke, who automatically turned around and began to walk away. Naruto jumped up and chased after him muttering '_SasukeSasukeSasuke,wait'_, grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, plopping down on the couch. Sasuke landed partly in his lap with a loud 'oomph', making Naruto laugh.

"Don't be like that Sasuke. C'mon," he pouted. Sasuke scoffed, muttering 'big baby' under his breath before he slid out of Naruto's lap and got comfortable on the couch. With a soft chuckle, Naruto wrapped an around his waist and pulled him closer, planting a wet kiss on his cheek. Sasuke grumpily swat him away, his face burning

Naruto, after deeming that Sasuke was no prude and was overall accepting of the situation, decided to have a little fun with him and milk this for a long as he could. It was fun to see Sasuke flustered and embarrassed, his usually pale face burning red all the way to the tips of his ears. He would even dare to say it was adorable, though not out loud, in fear of Sasuke stomping off again. He knew that it may seem insensitive, but Sasuke seemed fine, and besides, a little teasing and laughing at one self always made things better. So he tried to get Sasuke to laugh as much as possible and not allow him to wallow too much in his own jumbled emotions. If nothing else, over thinking would be the death of Sasuke, he knew it. A light brush of a hand broke him from his musings. He turned and kissed the hand with a soft _'Hmm?'_

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "You're so mushy. What's up with the music, anyway?"

"Whaaaa-don't say it like that, it's Marianas Trench, and they're amazing. And I'm not the mush ball; you're way more lovey-dovey than me, if anything." He teased. Sasuke scoffed.

"Don't be gay."

"Heeheee~~ _too late for that_~~"

"Dork. I never said they were bad, just different than what you listen to. It's nice actually, sounds kind of familiar, actually. Maybe something Itachi listens to." Naruto jumped up suddenly, causing Sasuke to flinch."What the hell?"

"That's what I've been meaning to ask you! Your brother's car is amazing, how the hell did he manage to afford something like that?"

Sasuke gave him an odd look, thrown off by the random question. Sighing, he shrugged nonchalantly. "He's a neurosurgeon, and a damn good one at that."

"Damn, they must be getting paid like crazy. Sounds nice."

"Yea, it's one of the highest paying jobs. But his jaguar isn't even that expensive." Naruto looked at him, incredulously."What...?" Sasuke asked, confused.

"Do you know how much _ass_ I'd have to sell to even afford a down payment? By the time I even get halfway there, I'd be dilated enough to push out a baby!"

Sasuke frowned in distaste."That's disgusting, Naruto. I could've lived my whole life without knowing that."

Naruto laughed softly. "Hey, I'm just being honest here, babe—"

"_Don'_t call me th—"

"—if I had that money, I'd blow that shit on an epic car, like seriously, why don't you have a car."

"Well for one, that's Itachi's money, not mine, and two, I had a car, but it's gone now." Naruto looked at him curiously, waiting for him to elaborate. When he didn't, Naruto rose an eyebrow.

"Sasuke? Come on, tell me, please...?"

"That's a story for another day," he said dismissively.

"Mehhh, you always say that," Naruto complained.

"That's because I don't want to talk about it. Don't you think you've peer pressured me enough already?" he smiled, mischievously. Naruto pouted.

"Oh, _ha ha,_" Naruto retorted, dryly, "don't try and make me look like a freakin' rapist. Jerk." Neither said anything for awhile, sitting in silence and enjoying the companionship. Naruto felt himself itching to talk, the topic of Sasuke's older brother bringing other things to his mind. He didn't know if he should bring it up, in fear of ruining the nice atmosphere.

Sasuke could see Naruto practically fighting with himself, and he could take a guess at what it was about. Somehow he knew that bringing up Itachi would lead to this conversation. It was inevitable. Sighing, he rested his head on Naruto's shoulder.

"So. Syndey, huh?" Naruto finally asked, quietly. He could feel the other nodding on his shoulder.

"Yea...I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited. Though I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't miss you."

Naruto grabbed a pale hand and brought it to his lips, letting them graze it softly. Sasuke made no move to stop him, enjoying the feel of the soft lips.

"I'm gonna miss you too. More than I can even explain. I don't even know what to do without you at this point."

"Trust me, you'll live," Sasuke commented, wearily."You have before you met me, and you'll be fine without me. And besides," he stopped, looking up at Naruto," it's not like I'm going away forever, just for a while."

Naruto let out a frustrated groan. "I know but, God Sasuke. Do you remember the first fight we had a while back?" Sasuke shook his head for Naruto to continue."Once I got over my initial _pissed-as-fuck _mood, I thought I was gonna go crazy. Like, even though I'd only known you for maybe three weeks or so at the time, not being around you was weird, and I definitely didn't like it. And that was only for a few days, so yeah..."Naruto trailed off.

"Doesn't sound you're trying to reassure me at all. More like convince me to stay," he muttered.

Naruto shook his head. "Nah, I'm not trying to change your mind or anything—you're going whether you like or not, I'm smart enough to know that even though it _sucks_ it's what's best for you—I just figured I'd be honest. Besides, you've always been able to see through my lies, so no point in pretending like I'll be perfectly fine with you leaving. You already know this."

Sasuke shook his head. "That I do, seeing as you tend to be a pretty redundant and open-book type of person. Honesty, however much I appreciate it, may not be the best thing at this time." When Naruto gave him an odd look, Sasuke sighed."I'm saying that maybe we should just pretend like I'm not leaving in a few days. Ignore it and spend the little time we have left enjoying it. Let's just pretend like nothing outside of these four walls exists: no school, no Sydney, no people, no problems, _nothing. _Just us."

"I guess you have a point. I mean, we can't ignore it forever, but a few days won't hurt, right?" Sasuke hummed in agreement.

They sat quietly, moods dampened by the conversation. Naruto interlaced their fingers tightly, urging Sasuke to move closer. Lifting his head from Naruto's shoulder, Sasuke shifted himself closer, practically melding himself into Naruto's side. He brought his lips to the crook of Naruto's neck, kissing it softly. Naruto turned and looked at him softly, his eyes reassuring. They sat like that, melded together, hands intertwined as the music played, the solemn air settled over them like a blanket for what felt like forever...

'_**It's Britney bitch...'**_

...until the beginnings of _'Gimme More'_ began to play through Naruto's phone. The spell was immediately broken and the melancholy atmosphere lifted as Sasuke turned to Naruto, the corners of his mouth twitching. Naruto let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and laughed, his cheeks turning red, a soft '_tension breaker' _muttered under his breath.

Sasuke's lips quirked up."This begs many questions Naruto, though the first being: _the hell_?"

Naruto smiled sheepishly, shaking his head."Hey, hey, hey! I downloaded that for a game of truth or dare! Don't judge me!"

Sasuke gave him a look that clearly showed he didn't believe him."_Sure. _We'll go with that instead of the truth."

"The truth?" Naruto asked, a grin playing at his lips. Sasuke nodded.

"Yes, that you're a closet Britney fan. But don't worry I won't tell anybody," he teased.

"_Britney_? Are you sure it's not _you_ who's the fan? I can only imagine all the pictures of her you have stashed away for your 'Sasuke time'" he laughed. Sasuke rolled his eyes, trying to fight back a smile.

"Hmm, let's not defile _Ms. Spear's _honor, shall we? And spare me you're dirty fantasies, for once, I'd rather not. In any case, you still haven't explained why you have this song on your phone—and please, make the next lie semi-believable, otherwise, I'm just gonna stick by the assumption of you being a crazed Britney fan."

Naruto clicked his tongue. "Whatever, it was a drunken dare to dance to this song which ended in me being caught in a compromising position once the guy's parents came home to stop the party." He shuddered at the memory of the guy's parent's expression. Though he couldn't blame them. How would anyone react to a half naked guy in their sons lap?

If that guy hadn't came out of the closet to his parents before, well they sure as hell knew _then_.

"Well that's not fair, I don't even get my own personal dance?" Sasuke asked in mock disbelief. He couldn't help the look of relief that flashed through his eyes, happy to have bypassed the heavy conversation and even heavier atmosphere. He took notice of the visible relief in Naruto's body, his shoulder's no longer tensed.

Naruto wagged his finger."_Nuh-uh_, I don't dance for free, hot stuff. Besides, you're gonna have to ask nicer than that."

"I wasn't asking," Sasuke replied, a glint in his eyes. Naruto felt his smile drop a little at the sultry look in the other's eyes.

"Command me, then," he said, his voice near a whisper.

"Dance for me." Naruto felt shivers run down his spine at the sinful voice. With a shaky nod, he tried his best to imitate what he'd seen at some strip club he'd visited back near the beginning of his college days—when Sakura and Ino learned that he swung both ways, they spent weeks dragging him to different strip clubs and gay bars, and experience he'd rather forget—and he was failing miserably. Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto tried to hold in his laughter. He watched Naruto's hips moving sensually to the beat. If nothing else, he had good rhythm, and those hips, as they swayed back and forth, mesmerized Sasuke. Deeming that he'd had enough of the annoying whine of Britney's voice through the speakers and awkwardly trying to impersonate a stripper, Naruto reached over and hit next on his phone. Random noises filtered through as what he identified as the beginnings of an MGMT song. Putting his phone down, he looked over to Sasuke and flashed him a smile.

"Hmm, my own personal male stripper. Feels like I'm watching Magic Mike all over again."

Naruto let out a loud laugh in surprise."Seriously, Sasuke, you really went to see that movie? _My God_, you're a lot gayer than you think." He continued laughing as Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Karin and Suigetsu dragged me there after weeks of begging. I gotta say, it wasn't that bad. Maybe you need to watch and learn a few moves, since you seem to be lacking." Naruto smiled and moved to straddle Sasuke. He wrapped his arms around his neck and brought their lips together.

"Well I can't promise professional moves like Channing Tatum, but your personal stripper shall try his best," he murmured against the other's lips, slowly lifting his head away.

Sasuke lifted his head, his lips grazing Naruto's jaw line softly, eliciting a soft groan from him. He stopped and finally brought his lips to Naruto's ear, causing him to shiver. "_I never told you to stop dancing_..." he whispered in a sultry tone. As quickly as he sat down, Naruto stood up, not wanting Sasuke to feel the effects of his words. _God,_ Naruto thought to himself. With a smile, he crossed his arms and look pointedly at Sasuke.

"Mhhmm, I'm sorry Master. I won't disobey you again."

"Damn straight," Sasuke commented, making Naruto giggle childishly.

"We should role play one day, it'll be fun."

Sasuke gave him an exasperated look. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I just had sex last night, you can't expect to be whipping out the whips and chains and masks already."

"_Oooohhh_, never would've guessed you'd be into BDSM. You did say I was a masochist earlier, so does that make you a sadist?" With an over exaggerated flutter of his eyelashes, he brought his finger to his mouth in an innocent gesture."Would you spank me, _Master?_"

Sasuke smirked. "I'd fucking own your ass."

Naruto paused, blinking. Sheepishly, he smiled and brought a hand to his head.

"Well. I just got oddly excited there."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Freak." With a grunt, he pushed himself up and sauntered over to Naruto. His hand reached up and yanked Naruto down by his hair, ignoring the yelp of pain and swallowing the sound in their kiss.

"In due time," he murmured against Naruto's lips, "we have forever to figure it out."

Naruto smiled into the kiss, his eyes lighting up at Sasuke's inspiring words. Yes, they had forever. To banter, to talk, to fight, to cry, to make love...no matter the distance, they still had forever to figure it all out. Even with the clock ticking, even with the time hanging above their heads, Naruto knew that Sasuke was who he wanted to spend his forever with. This cold, broken, harsh, twisted, yet loving, soft, passionate, lost, driven, caring person was who he wanted to share his life with, to give all his love. Who he wanted to be his. All his. _Only his._

"Yea..._forever_..."

* * *

_**Trapped in purgatory,**_

_**A lifeless object, alive**_

_**Awaiting reprisal**_

_**Death will be their acquisition**_

The heavy chords blasted through the room, causing the walls to vibrate softly. Eerie, somber lyrics continued to pour out of the speakers as the music played. Looking toward the speakers apathetically, Gaara turned away and sauntered over to the couch. He plopped down on his back, resting his arms across his chest, over the barred fangs of the dragon that covered it. His phone rested silently at his head, still no signs of contact from his blonde friend. He had been trying to find Naruto for the past few days, determined to finally have a very important, overdue conversation with him. After a few days of cold trails, he finally decided to go ask for help, he went to meet with Sakura. She had told him everything that had happened the past week including Naruto's whereabouts.

In a beach house. On Jade Lake. Alone. _With Sasuke fucking Uchiha._

Gaara was no fool. He understood the implications of it all. He knew that what was going on between those two was more than simple friendship. The mere thought of the Uchiha being close to Naruto, filling that spot by the blonde's side that he'd been trying for so long to fill made him sick beyond belief. He couldn't help but feel like he was dying all over again; it was a different kind of death than the last time. As he faded away before, he felt no pain, only peace as he began to drift off. But this kind of death was slow and torturous, as if his heart was burning and bursting in his chest; as if blood filled his lungs and he was slowly but surely suffocating under his own anger and sorrow. In that moment, Gaara couldn't help but question why his life had been spared before.

_**Pierced from below, souls of my treacherous past**_

_**Betrayed by many, now ornaments dripping above**_

When Naruto had saved his life so many years ago, he thought that he should at least be grateful; grateful for getting a second chance at life, for not being allowed to make a permanent, rash, and emotionally driven decision.

He'd been spiraling slowly toward self-destruction after the death of his mom. Well more accurately, _suicide. _She'd been unhappy in life, frustrated with a husband who was never there, always buried in work. She could hardly focus on her children, she had her own problems, and her sorrow was slowing killing her. So she decided to speed up the process herself. It was an ordinary day for him, a non-eventful school day and it would most likely be the same at home. But when he walked into his house, he automatically knew something was wrong-off. The feeling of death hung and the air, causing him to drop his bag. He ran to the family room and found nothing. He continued his search room from room, finding nothing. Finally, he opened the last door, his parents' room, stopping at the sight that greeted him. His mother's body swayed back and forth, hanging freely from a rope connected to the ceiling fan. With a loud, blood curdling scream, he dropped to his knees. His mother was _gone. _She'd left him here all alone.

_**The sky is turning red**_

_**Return to power draws near**_

_**Fall into me, the sky's crimson tears**_

_**Abolish the rules made of stone**_

His siblings blamed him; called him a curse saying it was his fault. The doctors had figured she'd suffered from a severe, long lasting case of post-partum depression, which meant that in his family's mind, it was his fault. His dad simply didn't give a fuck. It's not like he didn't love him, Gaara knew for a fact that he did. His father was a busy politician and was never around, always focused on work. Once his wife took her own life, the guilt consumed him, and he buried himself deeper in his work. They lived a lavish lifestyle, but it wasn't enough. His only beacon of light in a bleak world was his best friend, the one who was always there for him, no matter what; Naruto. Naruto was there at his mother's funeral, he even stayed the night and let him pour his heart out and cry his eyes out on his shoulder. As Gaara sat, a crying sobbing mess, blubbering about his mom and how he just didn't know what to do, Naruto sat quietly and patiently, listening. He was always there when he needed someone to talk to or simply to spend time with. Dark nights where he couldn't sleep and his nightmares haunted him, he'd call Naruto and instantly be calmed by the soft, sleep laced voice and the reassuring words. Even though his life was getting unbearable, he still pushed on, motivated by those bright blue eyes and that contagious smile. He knew that no matter how bad things got, he'd still fight just for Naruto, the one he knew he had come to love.

But there came a time when someone else came into the picture, shattering Gaara's heart.

"_Her name is Yukina, and she'__s a beauty, Gaara. You should meet her; I know you'd love her."_

Yukina truly was a beauty. Long, strawberry blond curls that cascaded down her back, big hazel doe eyes, a round cute face, and an overall perky disposition. The exact opposite of what Gaara was. It had hurt, having to pretend like he was happy for the blond, smiling and agreeing that _yes_, she was gorgeous. _Yes_, she was the most perfect girl in the world. He stepped back and allowed them to spend time together, never complaining when Naruto broke a promised hangout time or cancelled plans.

"_I'm sorry, I totally forgot, and I promised Yukina I'd take her to the movies. You don't mind, do you?__"_

And Gaara would always smile and reply no, he didn't mind, only to see the beautiful smile that would grace Naruto's lips and the joy in his eyes.

"_God Gaara, you're fucking amazing, you know? I promise I'll make it up to you!"_

Slowly but surely, Naruto spent less time with him, and it began to take its toll on him. He felt that without his light, there was no reason to live in a world consumed by darkness and the bitter reality that was his life. His time alone had begun to get unbearable. One particular night, after a terrible nightmare, he quickly dialed the number memorized by heart, sweat pouring down his shaking body as he waited for the other to pick up, hoping to be lulled back to a dreamless sleep by sweet, kind words.

"_Hi! Sorry, I'm not able to __come to the phone right now, I must be busy but, uhh, just leave you're numb-"_

And things only got worse from there. After a long week of battling himself, he finally made his decision. He tried his best to give himself time, saying that maybe he'd snap out of it after a week, but by the end of those seven days, he still felt so empty, hollow and _alone._ So the day that he decided to do it was the first time he and the blonde spent time together in a long time. They'd walked home from school together and relaxed in Gaara's room. They made light, carefree conversation until the sun began to set. Naruto bid farewell and Gaara hugged him, wanting to feel his warmth for one last time. He even told him he loved him. Though he was sure Naruto took it as a friendly thing, he didn't mind. As long as he got that off his chest, he could go peacefully. He watched as Naruto left. The sound of the door clicking shut was the beginning of the end for him. The bottle of pills he swiped earlier sat temptingly on his nightstand. Without hesitation, he grabbed the bottle and opened the lid. Tears flowed down his face as he said a silent prayer.

_God, if you do exist, if you're there, I know you understand. One of your children has lost his way, and can no longer find it. Not here. My home is in the clouds._

With a tired sigh, he quickly swallowed the pills and let himself fall onto his back. He stared idly at the ceiling, waiting for the medicine to take effect. It felt like an eternity as he watched the ceiling, idle thoughts passing through the mind. How would his family react? Would they even care? Would Naruto be at his funeral, or would he decide not to go in place of a movie date with Yukina? Out of the corner of his eye, an orange object caught his attention. His eyes widened; it was Naruto's cell phone. What if Naruto came back for it?

The panicked thought was interrupted as he began to shake, letting out a groan of pain. He felt himself grow cold, felt himself slowly fading away. He didn't know how long he lay there, convulsing on the floor. His mind began to dull as his convulsions grew even more violent. A panicked shriek of his name hardly registered in his mind, nor did the sight of Naruto who had pulled him to his chest, crying and blubbering nonsense. Slowly, as he lost consciousness, he heard the words that made him laugh sardonically in his mind.

"_P-please! Please Ga-aara! Hang on! Don't leave me! Please!"_

He didn't have the heart to tell Naruto the reason why he decided to do what he did. He would never be able to bear the guilt Naruto would feel. But now, it felt like déjà vu; history repeating itself. But this time, things would be different. He couldn't go and try to off himself with every problem that arose. It was childish and pathetic. No, this time, things would definitely be different, because this time, _he _was different.

_**Awaiting the hour of reprisal**_

_**Your time slips away**_

He'd step back many times for the sake of the others, always selflessly suffering for other's happiness. He'd step back once for Naruto. _Never again._ Life had pounded on him for too long. He could no longer let himself sit back and take it. Something inside him wouldn't let him. For once in his life, he would no longer be passive and continue to let happiness evade him. With a sigh, Gaara closed his eyes and sang along with the song.

It was his turn to be selfish, to fight for what he wanted.

_**Raining blood**_

_**From a lacerated sky**_

_**Bleeding its horror**_

_**Creating my structure**_

_**Now I shall reign in blood**_

* * *

**A/N: 'Dem feels, Gaara. Lots of us have been in his position, and it **_**sucks. **_**Yes, Sasuke was a virgin, but he had done other sexual-type things with other people out of anger (during his angry-junior-Sasuke days, after the argument he had with his father, mentioned in chapter 17) and rebellion. Yeeeeuuuuppp. This will most likely be important to future chapters. Oh and yea...sorry I completely forgot to explain the tattoos this chapter, so definitely next chapter! The scene just wouldn't fit right with this chapter anyway, the vibe wouldn't work well with it, so...yea. Plus it'd shoot the word count from like, 7k to maybe 15k. Meh. I'm working on it though! And it will introduce a new side of Sasuke :3 **

**Side note:**** Songs used in this chapter:**

**Skinny Love- Originally by Bon Iver, though I was thinking of Ed Sheeran's version (not a fan of the Birdie version, ehh.)**

**Marianas Trench- Fallout**

**Gimme More- Britney Spears **

**MGMT-Time to pretend**

**Raining Blood- Slayer **

**Other sidenote: I'm finally getting my internet back in my house tomorrow so yeah! I'll hopefully get another chapter up SOON! I'm actually pretty excited about next chapter, namely because you get to see Sasuke in another light. It will be kinda like chp. 11, whereit's not exactly important to the plot per se, more of character development. Hopefully you'll love it. Til then...**

**Please review and tell me what you guys think of this chapter :3**

**Last side note(I promise): If you noticed, reprisal isn't a psychological term, but eh, it fit. :O**


	21. Fixation

**A/N:... Hi. I know it's been a billion years since I've been on here, but hey! I finally updated! Though I'm seriously sorry! I have a legitimate excuse of loosing MINI (my flash drive with EVERYTHING on it) then finding him weeks later in the washing machine...then proceeded to drop to my knees and pray to God that MINI still works. And He's freakin amazing because MINI does still work! SO. I hope you guys like this one, it's a bit different than normal, and 22 will definitely be alot different, but don't worry, you'll love it. All this digressing I'm doing is important to the plot, believe it or not.  
**

**Disclaimer #1: I've been typing for fifteen hours straight. Did the best I could with grammar and re-reading to make it flow, but typing for that many hours, I hardly wanted to read it all again. So please, don't be too harsh T_T**

**#2: The 'I don't own Naruto' disclaimer. So without further ado, I really hope you enjoy and I appreciate feedback, good or bad!**

_**Fixation: A state in which a person remains attached to objects or activities more appropriate for an earlier stage of psychosexual development.**_

* * *

The soft music played in the room as Sasuke leaned over the canvas in concentration. He could feel Naruto's blue eyes staring intently, making his skin tingle. With a quick glance up, their eyes locked, and Naruto smiled at him. Sasuke rolled his eyes, but offered his own small smile.

"Don't break my focus…." He trailed, shifting his gaze back to the canvas. He sat on a short stool, oil paints surrounding him. Naruto sat a few feet across from him, singing softly to the music and watching Sasuke work. He'd insisted that Naruto could do other things while he painted—he didn't need him to be completely still for it—but the other declined, insisting that he preferred watching the other as he worked. Sasuke didn't argue much with that, but in hindsight, he found that he probably should have. The feeling of those eyes staring as he tried to work was unnerving. He found himself shifting and fidgeting self-consciously under the gaze. With a low growl, he looked up.

"God dammit, stop staring."

Naruto laughed at his frustration, a grin splitting his face. "Well I didn't think me watching would bother you that much. Especially since you're sitting out here in practically nothing." He gestured to Sasuke's bare, slightly damp chest from water drops that fell from his wet hair. Sasuke shrugged.

"Whatever. Just find something to occupy you so that you'll stop bothering me."

"Can I at least see where you got so far?"

"No."

Naruto sighed and rolled over to his back. From the corner of his eye, he saw the tension in Sasuke's shoulders relax. Scoffing, he turned his gaze to the ceiling. He felt the soulful ambience of the music as he swayed lightly.

"_Say my name, let every color illuminate…," _he sang.

Sasuke looked up from the painting, quirking an eyebrow at the falsetto tone. He studied Naruto's face for every detail—the naturally neat eyebrows, his wide, blue eyes with tiny specs of green that would only be noticed if someone was looking closely, the soft nose that wasn't too sharp or too prominent, the slight freckles that dusted across his face given the right lighting, his full pink lips, his defined jaw line—overall, his face was a soft blend of features that weren't too sharp, seemingly all blending together and centering around his eyes. Sasuke knew that he had a great eye for detail when it came to painting, and he wanted to use that to make this come out perfect.

"Tell me a story," Naruto murmured quietly, not wanting to break the peaceful mood by speaking too loudly. Sasuke hummed in acknowledgement, not replying. He was quiet for a while, focusing on some sort of detail that Naruto couldn't see. Every so often, he'd stare intently at Naruto's face, as if memorizing it. Then, he'd go back to painting. Finally, he looked up and stopped.

"What kind of story?"

"Hmmm, how 'bout one of you?" Sasuke looked at him for a moment, contemplating it. Then, his eyes went back to the canvas. Naruto noticed his brow furrowing in frustration at something he was seeing.

"That depends on what you want to know." Naruto could tell by his voice that he was only getting half of Sasuke's attention, the rest on the canvas.

"Your tattoos. Why'd you get them?" he asked shortly. He couldn't help but notice that Sasuke seemed a little more reluctant to speak than usual. Sasuke shrugged, not looking as if he was willing to explain.

"Like I said before, it's a story for another day."

"You said that yesterday. And now today is another day. What gives, Sasuke? You're being weirder than usual, and that's saying a lot." Normally, Sasuke would laugh at that, but this time, his face remained blank, his mouth pulled down at the corners.

"Naruto…" he started, reluctantly. "It's a long story, okay? And it's not something I like to remember. I was such a different person then and it's just…I really didn't even want you to _see_ them, but I guess that was unavoidable. Given the circumstances."

"I'm sorry," Naruto replied quietly. If it was some kind of painful memory or something, he didn't want to push too hard.

Letting out a long sigh, Sasuke sat the brush down. "I can't really focus on this," he muttered mostly to himself. He slid off the stool and stood, arms crossed. Water trailed down his chest and disappeared into his flannel sleeping pants. Naruto's eyes remained on the ceiling, listening to the soft sounds of the music mixed in with Sasuke's breathing. The sound of feet padding out of the room made his eyes shoot open and his head turn to the side. Sasuke was nowhere in sight. The canvas had disappeared as well.

"Sasuke," he called after him. "Hey, Sasuke." He waited, yet still he got no reply. A little louder this time, he tried again. "SAS—"

"—Give me a chance to answer you, _damn._"

He returned with a paint stained t-shirt in hand, a Woodstock shirt that Naruto had seen before. Turning away from Naruto, he lifted his arm and slid the shirt over his head. Naruto watched the pale back as it moved, the tattoos flexing across the smooth skin. The darkness of the ink contrasted sharply with Sasuke's skin tone, making him look even paler, if possible. Naruto couldn't help but stare, mesmerized, as the markings slowly disappeared under the short sleeved t-shirt. With a tired sigh, Sasuke turned to him, his expression blank. Naruto's eyes automatically averted to the scars that littered his arms—Sasuke no longer made an effort to hide them, feeling that it was a moot point since Naruto had seen them already—but he quickly looked away, locking gazes with Sasuke. He could tell by the look in Sasuke's eyes that he'd noticed, but made no comment. Instead, he strode past him and out of the room again. When he returned, Naruto noticed the camera that now hung loosely around his neck as Sasuke sat cross-legged on the floor next to him. He looked up at Naruto, his expression now open and tired. Naruto couldn't help but bite his lip.

"Don't you dare go and try to peak at that until I'm done," he said sternly. Naruto nodded. "Now, what is it you wanted?"

Deciding not to answer at first, Naruto leaned over and wrapped a hand around his waist, resting his face in Sasuke's stomach. He breathed in his clean scent, along with his cologne and sighed.

"You smell nice. And you're supposed to be telling me a story."

"Fine. But don't be a dork about it. It's not really an interesting story or anything, just one that proves how incredibly stupid I was when I was a teenager. Back when I thought I was a hard ass. God, I was too idiotic for words."

Naruto snorted. "Hey, you're not the only one, at least you didn't get yours on a drunken whim."

"Pretty close," Sasuke muttered. Naruto shook his head, releasing Sasuke. He sat up, crossing his hands and bouncing like an excited child. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Okay, okay, get on with this story. You're supposed to entertain me."

"I can think of more creative ways to do that," he smirked. Naruto pouted.

"Don't go all sexual on me now, you know I get distracted easily. Now," he brought a hand to his chin, thinking. Finally, he looked back at Sasuke inquisitively," let's start with who gave you your tattoo."

Sasuke shrugged. "A friend of mine, he was a tattoo artist, and somehow he managed to convince me into getting them." He gave Naruto a calculative look, then scoffed.

"What?"

"You—don't be a brat about this, okay? I get the feeling you're going to go all jealous on me."

Naruto frowned. "Don't tell me that this 'friend' was an ex-boyfriend or something? I thought you said you never dated anyone before me?"

"No, you're right, I didn't," Sasuke started, amused at the rise in his tone. "We didn't exactly date. Just…listen and don't interrupt me."

Naruto huffed. "Fine. I'd rather not here about any past flames or lovers, but I guess I asked."

"Idiot, I told you, I never loved anyone before, not romantically at least. Teru, that's his name, he was somebody important to me. He helped me in more ways than I can explain. He— "Sasuke stopped, looking into Naruto's eyes for something. Naruto smiled softly, encouragingly at him. He nodded and continued.

"Teru was such a misunderstood person. People were always writing him off as some stoner, tattoo artist whore—not to say that he wasn't. That describes him perfectly." Sasuke laughed softly to himself his eyes shining fondly. Naruto couldn't help the twinge of jealousy he felt, but he decided to push aside. Sasuke hadn't loved this Teru person. No, Naruto held the honor of being that person he loved. Teru was just a close friend, he assured himself. Sasuke was only thinking fondly of a friend like he would be of Sakura, or Gaara. Besides, he didn't want to prove the jerk right by getting jealous.

"…whenever I needed him, he'd always be there. It seemed the lazy stoner never left that hole of a house. Whenever I fell out with my dad, my feet would just take me there. I tried to convince myself that I didn't like him—hell most of the times I fucking hated him. He was such a difficult person. But other times, when he stopped being a jerk and whoring around long enough to actually _talk_, I found that I actually liked him. He was a good friend and an even better person to talk to, ridiculous innuendos aside. We talked for hours, about everything and nothing at all. We'd lounge around his place listening to music, occasionally getting high…among other things."

"Holy shit," Naruto started, his jealousy forgotten for the moment. "I wouldn't think you of all people would get high."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Get over yourself. You make it seem like I'm so innocent. Now be quiet and let me finish. You're the one who wanted me to tell you this so badly."

With a nod, Naruto mimicked sealing his lips and listened intently.

"All my friends at the time—don't look at me like that; I did have friends, dork—didn't really like him much. They thought we were in some sort of destructive relationship or something like that. And of course, I didn't listen to them." Sasuke let out a short sigh, running a hand threw his hair. "So, this all took place that night that I told you about, when me and my dad got into a fight—"

"—The one where you went all hulk smash?" Naruto teased.

"Yes that one." Sasuke deadpanned. Naruto snickered at his expression. "Now, stop interrupting if you want me to keep going."

"Sorry, sorry."

"Alright…"

* * *

The bite of the night air caused Sasuke to shiver as he walked down the dark side street, wearing only a thin jacket to help combat the chill; though his mind was hardly registering the cold, all his senses clouded by the all consuming anger that flooded his system and threatened to drive him to the brink of insanity. The hateful words, remnants of the argument he'd had with his father, rung in his head, taunting him.

He walked for what felt like forever, shaking from both his anger and the cold. Cars honked as he barreled haphazardly through traffic, flipping off the ones who actually rolled down the windows to shout at him. Dogs bark angrily as he charged past them, but none of it broke through until he finally stopped, breathless. He stood there, trying his best not to hyperventilate—lately, his anxiety had been getting out of control, he'd even manage to have an anxiety attack for the first time—or something equally as embarrassing. The sound of footsteps made him clench his fist, ready to give hell to whoever decided they wanted to bother him at the moment.

"Hey, babe, wanna drag?" the familiar deep, silken voice asked. Eyes wide, Sasuke looked up, finally realizing the place that his feet had automatically led him to. A small, quaint house in a terrible neighborhood that he'd frequented much too often for any of his friend's tastes. The owner was the man who stood in front of him: six foot three, long, shaggy red hair that cascaded down his back, tied in a loose ponytail that served no purpose, one deep hazel eye visible behind the curtain of hair, and a strong, toned build. At the age of twenty three, Teru was a tattoo artist and side resident drug dealer. He and Sasuke had met through mutual friends and they'd instantly gravitated toward each other; Sasuke, drawn to him by his desire to rebel toward his dickhead father and the need of someone to help anchor him when he'd been feeling so _lost_, and Teru drawn to Sasuke by his innocent beauty and demeanor. The crass, abrasive, fragile boy caught his interest, which he felt was pretty impressive in itself.

"Whatever." Taking the cigarette, Sasuke took a deep drag, holding the smoke in for as long as he could and releasing it with an audible sigh. He felt himself relax as the nicotine worked through him. Smoking was a nasty habit; he knew that, be he couldn't give a fuck at the moment. A deep laugh cut through the silence, causing Sasuke to raise an eyebrow in question. Teru shook his head and stepped closer, wrapping his arms around Sasuke's smaller body.

"You gonna tell me what's wrong? Usually you throw a bitch fit when I offer you a drag and tell me that 'm gonna kill myself. Don't tell me you got in another fight with your dad again?" When all he got was a grunt, Teru smiled widely. Nuzzling his face into Sasuke's hair, he let out a deep groan.

"How 'bout this babe: You leave that fucker's house and come stay here with me, eh? I could use another body to warm my bed."

Sasuke scoffed. "And at what price, becoming your whore? I'd rather not, but thanks for the offer."

Teru frowned. "You shouldn't use that pretty mouth of yours for such harsh words."

"Hmm, then enlighten me on some better uses."

"I could name a few, but I don't wanna deal with you right now. So, the fuck are 'ya here for?"

Sasuke ignored him for a bit, in favor of the cigarette. After a few minutes, he inhaled deeply and held the smoke in. Tilting his head back, he blew the smoke out into the air.

"What's this, twenty questions? I go wherever the fuck I want."

"Mind your manners, babe. That pretty little mouth of yours is gonna get you killed." He replied coldly, the threat clear in his eyes. Sasuke scowled, clearly not intimidated.

"Oh, you're gonna have me killed now? Though I take you as the type to the dirty work yourself. Regardless of the methods," he leveled Teru a hard glare, taking another long drag, blowing the smoke into his face," get the fuck over yourself. You wouldn't kill me; you _couldn't_."

"What happened to the scared little boy I first met? You've turned into quiet the hard ass now, huh?" he mocked, unfazed by the smoke. Sasuke flipped him off and turned away. Just as he brought the cigarette back to his lips, Teru grabbed it from between his fingers. He threw it down on the ground and stomped it out in front of him. Turning, he made his way to the house, stopping only to look over his shoulder at Sasuke.

"I wasn't done with that," he grumbled. Teru shrugged.

"I know. You coming? "

"Bitch."

The resulting laughter had him following reluctantly, grumbling about tall red heads who thought they ruled everything.

* * *

The interior of the house was nice and cozy. It was a small two-bedroom home, so it wasn't huge, but it was still nice. The furniture was different shades of reds, hodge podge pieces that Teru had found and thrown together to complete his little home. Posters of artists, tattoo designs, and other random designs hung across the walls. The lighting was low, as per usual, and some gritty, grungy sounding music played in the background. Overall, it was an odd kind of homey feeling that, although he'd never admit it to the man himself, Sasuke loved.

Stepping inside, he quickly slipped off his shoes and sprawled out onto the fluffy brown carpet of the floor. He stared at the ceiling, his hands itching to do something. Letting them fall flat, his nails dug deeply into the carpet, nearly ripping it up. Teru watched silently from his spot in the doorway, not bothered by the threat to his carpet.

"So why again are you here?" Teru inquired.

Sasuke sighed deeply and craned his head back. "I don't know, to get my mind off of things I guess."

"I guess I could help with that, if you don't mind," Teru commented.

Sasuke clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "And what exactly is your idea of 'help'?" he asked. Teru gave no answer, making Sasuke wonder if the other had left the room completely.

He turned his head in time to watch as Teru sauntered over to him, crouching down to hover over him. His wild hair fell into Sasuke's face, causing him to sputter. He pushed it out of his face, complaint ready on his lips until he felt sharp teeth bite into his neck. He groaned unconsciously at the sensation, craning his neck back to allow for better access.

"Relax," Teru murmured against his neck.

Sasuke let out a soft gasp at the feeling of lips on his chest as they made their way down. The long fingers worked at the buttons on his pants, quickly pulling them down. He could hear Teru's deep, soft laughter as he played with the waistband of his underwear.

"Tell me babe…." Teru drawled lowly, "you've never done anything like this before, have you?" One visible hazel eye locked with his, darkened with lust. Sasuke's silence was answer enough as he pressed another kiss to the smooth stomach. "So innocent. And just when I thought I couldn't get any harder…" Sasuke let out a shaky breath as his underwear were slid down to his ankles and then off completely. He could feel his face burning as Teru propped himself up and let his gaze wash over the pale, unmarked skin. "Fuck, baby, you're like one of those porcelain dolls. Smooth and fucking perfect."

Sasuke arched up off the floor with a sharp moan at the feel of himself being taken into the other's mouth. He felt embarrassment wash over him; he didn't even know his voice could go that _high_. Large hands brought themselves to his hips and guided him back down to the floor. The movement from below caught his attention and Sasuke couldn't take his eyes off of the head of shaggy red hair moving up and down at a steady pace or the deep hazel eyes looking back at him. Teru had brushed his hair out of his face now, both eyes visible as his mouth worked expertly. His hands curled at his sides and his head rocked back and forth at the feeling that was building up in the pit of his stomach.

"Mmm, you okay baby?" Teru asked as his lips left the erection in front of him, letting his tongue lick lazily at the sides. Sasuke shook his head.

"God it….It—I don't—it burns," he managed. Teru hummed.

"Hold it back babe, a little longer. As long as possible." With that, he slid his mouth back over Sasuke, who let out another moan.

"Ahhh, fuck," he breathed. His toes began to curl as the sensations flowing through his body at the hot mouth that consumed him. He buried his hands in the rough red hair, pulling painfully on the locks. Teru made a noise of pain, but didn't let up. Instead, he picked up speed, hollowing out his cheeks and sucking even harder than before. "_Please,_" Sasuke whined, wanting to release the painful tightening and burning he felt in his abdomen. It was a bittersweet pain; one that promised pleasure but hurt the longer he held it in. His teeth began to dig into his bottom lip almost to the point of drawing blood as Teru deep throated him effortlessly. Just as quickly as he started, he stopped, once again releasing Sasuke with an audible pop. He let his tongue swirl lazily around it. Sasuke whined needy under him. With a smirk, Teru brought his mouth to Sasuke's balls, sucking sharply. A gasp of pleasure was his reward as he continued his ministrations, his mouth still on Sasuke's balls as his hand pumped him. Sasuke writhed under him, the coils in his stomach tightening almost maddeningly. He began to thrust up into the large hand.

"Stop t-teasing you—dammit!" Sasuke panted out. Teru didn't obey, raising a red eyebrow and letting his wide eyes sweep over the erotic sight of Sasuke Uchiha spread out and moaning for him. And what a sight it was. He lifted himself up and ran his tongue along the other's hip, causing him to twitch suddenly and let out a sharp moan. His lips automatically latched onto that patch of skin and he continued to suck, ignoring the sharp curses above him.

"_Let me hear you beg baby_…."he whispered against the skin.

"G-god, no, fuck yo—_ahh,_" The hand around him had tightened impossibly, causing a stream of curses to flow out of him. Then—nothing. Teru had moved his hands and put them behind his back.

"What was that?" he said, teasing.

Sasuke growled. "_Please." _The desperation was clear in his eyes. Slowly, Teru lowered himself down, his eyes still locked with Sasuke's.

In a low voice, he murmured, "_Very nice," _his hot breath fanning over Sasuke's body.

With a triumphant smirk, Teru took all of him into his mouth and sucked with renewed vigor. Sasuke, overwhelmed by the feeling of the hot mouth on him, quickly tumbled over the edge. The burning coils in his stomach tightened painfully before exploding in a burst of white. His body shook from the force of the orgasm, his back arching painfully as his eyes widened and his breath came out in shallow, ragged gasps. He murmured the others name over and over as he continue to fall over that incomprehensibly pleasurable peek. His seed flowed out of him in thick spurts into the other's mouth, who swallowed it readily, still blowing him at a steady pace.

"Holy…_shit_," he breathed heavily. Teru said nothing, staring, amused, as he licked the remains of Sasuke's seed from his lips. He hummed softly in what sounded like a pleased tone as Sasuke stared up at the ceiling, one hand over his forehead and the other still buried in the rough red hair.

" I'm surprised that hearing you say my name in that fuckin' falsetto voice wasn't enough to do me in. I'm gonna be left with this goddamn hard-on, but I know you're not gonna fix it for me with that pretty little mouth of yours," he commented.

"_Ahh_," Sasuke breathed when he moved, tingles of sensation shooting through his still sensitive body. "_Good. _Don't expect anything like that from me."

Teru smirked. "Keep that up baby and I'll cum on the spot." With a grunt, he lifted himself from the floor. "You wouldn't be against a little Mary Jane would you?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Nothing I haven't done before," he replied, finally looking at the older male. His shaggy mane of hair cascaded carelessly down his back, his bang settling back over one of his eyes. "You need a haircut," Sasuke commented half-heartedly. Teru snorted but said nothing, walking off somewhere in the house. Sasuke felt himself becoming self-conscious of his naked state, but brushed it off. It was _Teru_, who'd probably had more naked girls and guys in his bed than there were people in Lemingway. Besides, it's not like it's his first time being naked in the older male's presence. With a sigh, Sasuke, despite himself, reached up to the couch and grabbed a heavy wool blanket, settling it around his waist as he waited for the other to return.

* * *

Sasuke lay on his stomach, staring over at nothing in particular as Teru drew lazy circles on his back. The sweet smell of the blunt filled the room, the smoke causing Sasuke's eyes to go half-lidded. The blunt was offered to him and he took it silently, taking a long drag. Music flowed around the room as he hummed to himself, comfortable under the blanket that rested around his waist. Teru sat above him, straddling him, as he continued to move his fingers along his back.

"You're back is beautiful, babe, you ever think of getting some tattoos?"

"Fleetingly." The effects of the weed were making him mellowed out, on top of the exhaustion from their earlier activities. Teru sighed above him.

"I can see it now; Wings, spread across you're back—"

"That sounds _awful_," he drawled. "Why would I want some white angel wings across my back like I'm some fuckin' saint or some shi—"

Teru cut him off with a short laugh."Of course not," he started, in a low voice. "No, they'd be black, trust me babe, there's not a saintly bone in that sinful body of yours. Black like some kind of fallen, tainted angel." At that, Teru couldn't help but smile devilishly."Though I get the feeling that I'm the one who tainted you. Maybe some feathers falling down the sides. But you'd need something else…to complete it maybe…"

"You're nothing but a symbolic, sentimental, corny _fool_," Sasuke started, though the lazy half-smile on his lips showed that he wasn't serious. "Though I'm not wholly against the idea. I've wanted to get a tattoo down my spine. Kanji."

"Ah, my little Chinese doll—"

"_Korean. _I'm Korean, not Chinese."

Teru shrugged. "Same difference."

"Racist bastard," he growled half-heartedly, passing the blunt back to Teru. "Now get off of me, you're heavy." Leaning down, Teru brought his tongue to the top of Sasuke's neck and trailed it down to the tip of his spine.

"Fuck. I can see if now. Those wings spread across your sweat covered back and the Kanji trailed down your arched spine as I pound your ass into the mattress. Or maybe it'd be better to fuck you on the floor…" he purred seductively. Sasuke was grateful for their position, glad that Teru couldn't see the look on his face. But he was sure that he felt the shiver that ran down his spine. Suddenly, he felt the weight on his back disappear. Craning his neck, he watched Teru's tattoo covered back as he walked to the back and into an unknown room. Sasuke turned and closed his eyes, listening to the music. The sound of footsteps greeted him and he looked up at the crooked smile that covered Teru's face. His hair had been pushed out of his face and put in a ponytail, his wild bangs pinned back out of his face; this was how he usually looked when he was working on client's tattoos.

"Whoa, not so fast, damn. I never yes to anything," he protested.

Teru ignored him, tossing a pair of red checkered sweat pants at him. "Put these on and follow me." His tone left no room for questions. With that, he turned sharply on his heels and stalked back into the room he'd come out of.

"_Fuck you I won't do what'cha told me!~~" _Sasuke called after him, half-smiling as he sang the words of the song. _How convenient._ He heard a muffled bark of laughter. He stood up-blunt in one hand and the sweat pants in the other—and sauntered to the back room. Lazily, he leaned against the doorway of the makeshift tattoo room—he figured it was for times where he didn't want to go to his shop, or for times like this, for that matter. Teru's back was turned to him as he moved stuff around and set up his things on the table. The smoke caught his attention, causing him to turn around, an eyebrow raised. He eyed Sasuke slowly, letting his eyes linger over his lower half. "Not gonna put on the pants?"

Sasuke shrugged. "Maybe I'm more comfortable like this."

Teru smirked and went to him. His height practically towered Sasuke's until he leaned down and brought his lips to the other's ear.

"_Don't tempt me._ Trust me babe," he began lowly, "unless you want me to fuck you senseless in that chair, I'd put those pants on." He stood back to full height, turning to get his needles. Sasuke rolled his eyes, taking another long drag of the weed in his hand.

"Whore. Can't even control your own desires. And you call me the baby? But fine, as you wish." Sitting the blunt on a short table, he slipped on the too-large pants, letting them hang lowly on his hips. As he made his way over, he nearly tripped on the long pant legs. After and few clumsy steps, he managed to stumble over to the chair, landing flat on his stomach with a soft 'oomph'. "Though if you seriously were gonna fuck me," Sasuke started, as an afterthought," I'm sure a pair of thin sweatpants wouldn't be much of an obstacle."

Turning toward him, Teru smirked. "You're right." With that, he positioned himself behind Sasuke.

"Well then, let's begin."

They sat in silence as Teru readied his materials. With a smile, he looked down at Sasuke.

"Now, about that Kanji, it's your lucky day, I actually know some from way back when I use to mess around with this Japanese chick. Now what do you want it to say?"

"Hmm, is it hypocritical of me to get a Bible verse along my spine along with the black angel wings," Sasuke inquired. Teru raised an eyebrow. The buzz of the needle filled the room with a steady hum that blended with the faraway sounding music.

"I would've never taken you as the religious sort."

Sasuke scoffed. "Hardly. My mother, you see, wasn't exactly religious, but she was really into books and poetry and all. The Bible was one of her favorites, and she even had a favorite verse." His voice came out muffled from his face being buried in the seat. Teru placed his hands in his hair and turned it sideways as to hear him clearer.

"Maybe. More like an oxymoron. But then again aren't we all hypocrites? Even the Bible is just one big book of hypocrisy. It preaches of peace and love, kindness and forgiveness, yet war, famine, disease, and damnation is sent down onto those who simply choose not to believe."

Sasuke made a hum of agreement. "Hmm. I guess being high makes you a philosopher? And when are you gonna get started on my back, oh great _Socrates_?" Teru let out another bark of laughter.

"Speakin' the truth, babe. And don't rush me unless you want some second rate fairy wings or some shit. I swear, you're so fuckin' impatient" Sasuke jumped at the feeling of the needle on his back, not expecting it quiet so soon.

"Aren't you supposed to trace it or something? Don't fuck up my back."

Teru snorted. "I know what I'm doing. Tracing is for amateurs. The best can do it my way, no problem." With that, he brought the needle down to the pale, unblemished skin, making the first mark. "I think I like you better high," he said, randomly. Sasuke hummed.

"Dully noted. Though I don't give much of a fuck. High or not, I still don't like you." Sasuke flinched slightly at the sharp pinch he felt on his back.

"Your actions from earlier speak otherwise. I gotta say baby, hearing you moan my name, beggin' for it, that's probably the hardest I've ever been. Sad you wouldn't even help me get off."

"Pity."

Teru sung along to the music as he continued. Just as they began, Sasuke noticed the sweet smell of the weed mingling with something else. Burning paper? Craning his head slightly, he tried to get Teru's attention.

"Hey, is something on fire?"

Teru looked up wide eyed and surveyed the room. His eyes landed on a small fire on his nightstand full of white printer paper.

"Fuck—shi—_fuck _Sasuke!" Quickly, he hopped up tried to find something to put out the fire. Sasuke, still lying flat on his stomach, craned his over to see what was going on. The sight that greeted him caused him to break into a fit of snorts and giggles. Teru tried his best to smother the small fire, shooting Sasuke a dark glare.

"I don't see why you're laughin', if this place burns down, it's _your_ ass."

"My ass is what you're after either way, _baby_." He could here Teru scoff as the small fire was contained.

At the silence that followed as Teru cleaned up—leaving out to go get a broom and some bags—Sasuke felt his thoughts drifting back to his father's words earlier. He was doing a pretty good job at not thinking about it—Teru's presence always seemed to help with that—but with every silence that slipped between them, he couldn't help but drift back to it all over again.

"_Don't tell me you're turning into some fag now, huh? I don't raise little girls."_

Where his dad had even gotten that assumption, he had no clue. It's not like he's denying the fact that he's not particularly into girls, but never had he shown any interest in men, save for Teru, and his father had no clue about him. And although he had long since disconnected from his father, had stopped expecting him to try and love him, it still hurt. Something deep inside him still held onto the hope of his father's acceptance—a part that had manifested from his mother's words years earlier. She'd always stress the importance of him loving somebody for what's inside, not out, and she always said that no matter what, they'd always love him. But obviously not, in his father's case.

The cut of his father's hatred was a deep wound that burned everyday with each new insult and hateful stare. As much as he tried to claim that he hated his father, that his words meant nothing, he couldn't convince the burning in his chest otherwise. The anxiety he'd began to develop, his minds slow shift to depression, his as-of-late insomnia, it all could be attributed to the spite of his father. And all he wanted was something to take the pain away. Something, anything to keep his mind off of things for the time being.

"I want to fuck you right now," he breathed out, suddenly.

Teru gave a low hum of acknowledgement. "I can tell by your voice that you're thinkin' too much right now, and I have a good idea what about." Sasuke didn't reply, still a bit shocked from his own pathetic words. Though Teru didn't judge him, if anything, he understood, more than anyone else ever could.

" Do you really? Or is it just 'cause you're feelin' pissed at your dad," he asked, his back to Sasuke. His voice was soft, understanding, and it made Sasuke sober up a bit from his darkening mood.

Sasuke let out a resigned sigh. "A bit of both? I don't know…"

Throwing the remains of the burned mess away, Teru let his heavy gaze settle on Sasuke. He looked into his face searchingly, causing Sasuke to fidget under the scrutinizing gaze.

"Makin that face…your back be _damned_, I'm gonna own you tonight." He and Sasuke locked eyes for a while, neither making a sound. Teru was the first to look away, letting out a defeated sigh and gently turning Sasuke's head toward the wall. "Just—look that way. Let me focus and get this done, alright? I'm not so much of a bad of a person as to take advantage of somebody who doesn't understand what the hell they're getting' themselves into."

Sasuke obliged as Teru settled behind him, the buzz of the needle starting again. That sat in silence for a while, the only noise being the music and the needle. The tension in the air slowly melted away, and Sasuke felt his body relaxing as he slowly drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness. He tried his best to empty his mind of thoughts of his father, choosing instead to let the buzzing lull him. No point in ruining his mood any further with bitter feelings. Teru hummed softly in pleasure, happy to see that Sasuke had finally relaxed.

"'_And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him'," _Teru started, quietly," _'and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying—'"_

" '_Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.' _Revelations 4:8," Sasuke finished.

Teru leveled him a stare, though Sasuke couldn't see it from his position. "I see you know your scriptures." Sasuke made a soft noise.

"Someone like you, who seems put out by Christianity, it seems odd for you to know something like that."

Teru shrugged. "They say that most people dislike something only because they don't really understand it. So I figured, before I can just claim to be against religion, I'd better know just what it is I'm casting off."

"Smart words," Sasuke drawled softly. It was nice, talks like these with the older male.

"And you? You say you're not religious, yet you quoted that rather perfectly."

Sasuke shrugged as much as he could in the awkward position. "Again, my mother loved the Bible. She was taken with the idea of the Book of Revelations. Odd, for someone like her, who was the definition of a modern day hippie, to be so enthralled by such a book as that one. If anything, I'd expect her to love Psalms. It's a book of songs, and she loved to sing," he finished lamely.

Teru rolled his eyes. " '_The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done the abominable works, there is none that doeth good'_ I liked Psalms a lot. Good book. Even a non Christian like myself is able to appreciate the beauty of the bible. " The steady sting of the needle as if glided across his back in what Sasuke could only describe as a caress reminded him of the task at hand.

"How are the wings coming along?" Teru only gave a soft hum in acknowledgement. He could feel the needle as Teru worked the intricate designs of the feathers into his back. He couldn't help the excitement that rose in him as he thought of the finished product. "I'm sure it's going to come out good," he added.

"Yeah?"

"Of course. It is _you_ doing it, and I've seen your work. It's amazing. "

Teru smiled. "'_Some say his ego grew four sizes that day," _he laughed. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Just get on with it. "

A noise from the dresser caught his attention, and he reached his hand out to grab it. It was his message tone. Unlocking his phone, he grumbled exasperatedly.

_**Itachi**_

_**I got a text from dad, where are you? He said you just stormed out for no reason.**_

Quickly, he sent in his automatic reply for whenever Itachi felt the need to check on him, which was usually after fights with his dad, when he'd stray over to Teru's house.

_**Sasuke**_

_**I'm fine, I'm just at a friend's house, and I promised him to hangout later and never got the chance. But it's a long story, I'll tell you later.**_

He sat the phone down and buried his head in the chair, feeling his bad mood return. Teru leaned down and pressed a tender, lingering kiss on his neck. Sasuke hummed in the chair, grateful for the contact.

"You'll be fine, kid. I got you." He leaned back and started up again. "Now let's get this bad bitch finished, eh?"

Sasuke laughed softly, shaking his head. "Yea…"

* * *

"See? Not exactly an eventful story, though I guess you'd find it interesting," Sasuke finished.

"So, do you still talk to this guy or what?" Naruto asked, curiously. Sasuke shook his head slowly.

"No. Two years ago, he OD'd on one thing or another. I always told him to leave all that crazy shit alone. Weed occasionally was fine, but he liked to mess around with things you wouldn't believe." Naruto stayed silent at this, watching as Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, his face partially hidden. "You see, I always felt like he didn't value his life. His mom was a crack whore and his dad was God knows where—it seems no one nowadays has a simple, happy life story. But he never valued himself at all, so to him, it was all a game. He tried to pretend to be this hard ass guy who did drugs and fucked whoever he wanted, but in the end, I feel like that was his way of coping with things. He found life in all those things. I just wish he would have realized that he was more than his parent's mistakes. That drugs and sex weren't the only way to feel alive. That was mainly why we hung around together. We found release through each other from everything, no matter how counterproductive or stupid the methods. I'm sure that he'd look at his death and realize that it was so ironic: the thing he used to anchor himself is what did him in, in the end."

"God. Everybody's life is just fucked up nowadays," Naruto commented sadly, sympathy in his tone.

Sasuke shrugged. "Life's hard, but people have to move on I guess. I just wish I wasn't so dumb back then, maybe I could have helped him."

Naruto shook his head. "Maybe. But you had your own hang ups to deal with, too. Sure, it probably wasn't the best thing to just smoke away your troubles, but we all make mistakes. And even though he may be gone, at least he's not suffering."

Sasuke took a shuddering breath. Leaning forward, he shifted his weight to his palms and hovered over Naruto, his hair tickling his nose. Naruto noticed the tears in his eyes, but didn't comment. Instead, he stayed silent, letting Sasuke do as he pleased. He wasn't disappointed as those soft lips pressed softly on his. His hands found Sasuke's hips and pulled him down comfortably against him. They stayed like that, locked in a sweet kiss, until they felt the need to breathe. Even then, Sasuke slid his lips to Naruto's forehead and kissed it lovingly.

"Can I take a picture of you?" Sasuke asked softly.

Sasuke smiled then, a breathtaking smile that made Naruto's heart ache. He reached a hand up then, knotting it through the thick black hair.

"On one condition," he started softly, "tell me, am I a better kisser than that guy?" Abruptly, Sasuke pushed up, rolling his eyes.

"I knew you were gonna do this. And I never said anything about kissing him, now did it? Jealous dork."

Naruto laughed as Sasuke stood up, brushing himself off. He noticed the camera and pursed his lips thoughtfully.

"That's become like a necklace now, you wear it everywhere, even if you don't plan on using it," he observed. Sasuke nodded.

"Well I like to have it on hand, just in case. Be that as it may, I actually have a purpose for it at the moment."

Naruto grinned widely. "Erotic photography?" Sasuke scoffed.

"No, freak. Now, come on, I have to send in a portfolio of some pictures and drawings in order to submit my application and I wanted to get some more of you. For my project too. I think' I'm going to use the ones of you that I have now as well." He said nonchalantly. "If I get a good enough grade, the pictures will be put in a big exhibition on campus," he added as an afterthought.

"That's gonna be embarrassing." Naruto muttered. Sasuke laughed softly.

"You're not the first person to be used in an art exhibit, and you definitely won't be the last."

Naruto smiled, reaching over and tugging on the camera around Sasuke's neck. "Well, can I at least preview the pictures before they go on display?" Sasuke swat his hand away, causing him to frown.

"Patience is a virtue, my dear. You'll see them soon enough. Though I feel like it would be better with some nude shots."

Naruto shook his head quickly. "No way am I putting my junk on display for the whole world." Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"No, definitely not. I'll save those ones for myself."

"Ugh, you're turning into a pervert now, I think I created a monster," Naruto whined. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Didn't you know, Naruto? I was always an undercover pervert just waiting to find a little blonde boy's innocence to steal away," he said lowly.

"You stole my innocence?" he asked incredulously.

"Mhmm."

Naruto laughed and stood up, making his way to the back to change clothes.

"Okay, Sasuke." Suddenly, a thought occurred to Naruto. "Hey, you never told me what the Kanji said, exactly?" he called out. He knew Sasuke was probably smirking at that. He waited for a few moments, until the far away sound of Sasuke's voice reached him.

" '_Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast' "_

* * *

**A/N: I actually really like Teru. Idk, I just like the idea of, y'know, the careless tattoo artist stoner. Who can be smart when he wants to be, or at the very least, enough to keep up with Sasuke's volatile, sardonic wit. I love it. Though NaruSasu forever, guys. Oh, and don't think this chapter was for naught! Teru does play an interesting connective role in the rest of the story, so be prepared (any guesses, feel free to leave them in the review section). Anyway, I felt it important to show a little of hard ass Sasuke, and I'm pretty sure you all noticed my emphasis on his skin being unblemished and all. This was before the cutting, starving, and all. But he was still depressed, at this time.****Also, recall in chapter 14, where he chastised Itachi for his smoking and sexual behaviors, while Itachi just called him the most un-hormonal teen ever. This is a part of Sasuke's life that Itachi has no clue about Ahhhh, the secrets.**

**Sidenote: Sasuke was kind off a bratty teen. Lol, we've all had those times in our lives when we thought we were such hard asses, and life was just like nope. (my realization moment came, hilariously enough, on a rainy day with my crying like a dork behind the wheel.)**

**Tell me what you think, please review! :D**


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